


Samhain

by raptorginger



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BtVS feels, Cats, Dogs, Eventual Smut, F/M, Familiars, Fantasy elements, Good versus Evil, I have no self control, Pacts, Supernatural Elements, Warlocks, Witches, and for the magic mechanics, haunted forest, oh yeah i'm THAT nerdy, ok not so haunted forest, thank gary gygax for the monsters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-03 13:27:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16327136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raptorginger/pseuds/raptorginger
Summary: In the battle of good versus evil, the descendants of Shmi Skywalker have long stood as guardians of the nexus point between the realms, the place where the veil between the Material Plane and the Abyssal Plane is thinnest.  But, sometimes even Guardians need a little help ;O)Gift for ReyloRobyn2011, since my convo with them on 'Netherfield' inspired this whole thing :O)  Hope you like it, Darlin'!





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ReyloRobyn2011](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReyloRobyn2011/gifts).



> Hi, so I have no self control!  
> I just finished one fic this morning, and just couldn't seem to stop the words

The two armies stared at one another across the vast frozen lake, collective breaths swirling up in wisps of fog. One, made up of creatures of light, Celestial beings, humans who fought for life and good. The other, creatures of darkness, Abyssal monsters and demons, humans who sought dark power and dominion over others. Dead or sleeping trees surrounded them, thick and obscuring the outside world from the titanic battle of good and evil that was about to take place in this forest. A light snow was falling, blanketing the forest in a soft layer of white.

Neither side wanted to be the first to move, knowing that this could be the battle to end it all. Pegasi and Nightmare Steeds whinnied nervously, stomping hooves and chomping their bits. Men and women gripped pikes and sword handles tighter, their breaths coming faster.

Then, the commanders of both sides cried out, urging their forces forward into battle. Both sides rushed and collided over the thick ice. The clashing of swords, the snarling and spitting of monsters and men, the rending of human and non-human flesh roared out, and the battle between good and evil raged.

***

The tide was turning, and not in their favor. Shmi Skywalker pull her long sword from the chest of a long limbed demon, it’s black blood coating the elegantly curved blade. She clutched the pewter pendant that hung around her neck and cast her eyes up to the sky. Crying out to Dol Arrah, she begged her goddess for aid. For the power to vanquish the evil that plagued this world. She closed her eyes briefly, sending her prayer out, hoping to be heard. She saw a flash of light through her closed eyes. When she opened them, she saw nothing had changed around her, but she felt a warmth spreading through her. She leapt when she saw a demon trying to sneak up on an ally, running it through with her sword. Pulling her sword out, Shmi looked at it in confusion as it seemed to emit a faint blue glow. She looked up as her ally turned, giving the man a nod. It was Qui-Gon Jinn, a fine fighter and a good leader. He was a kind man, a friend and in another life perhaps they may have been more. 

Shmi fell back as a bright flash engulfed the battlefield. Looking around wildly, she saw that everything had stilled, allies and foes frozen in motion. Shmi waved her hand in front of Qui-Gon’s blue eyes. No response. She watched as a bright figure seemed to descend from the sky before her. Dol Arrah. Shmi fell to her knees.

The goddess motioned for Shmi to stand, a gentle but sad smile on her face.

“This battle you will win, but the war is yet to end,” Dol Arrah said in a whisper. Shmi heard it in her head rather than out loud. The goddess’ voice was musical, calming.

“I have heard your entreaties, and I have a boon to bestow upon you and your descendants.”

“My descendants?” Shmi asked, stunned, her fingers fluttering to her abdomen.

The goddess smiled kindly and nodded. “I give you the power to vanquish this evil today, tomorrow, and for all time. But this place, it is the nexus between your world and the Abyssal World. The place where the veil is thinnest. You will banish this evil here today, but you must always defend against it,” Dol Arrah proclaimed, gesturing to the forest around her.

Shmi nodded, grasping the hilt of her sword, “By your command, I will do it.”

Dol Arrah continued, “The veil can only be closed and evil truly vanquished when the one with gifts bestowed meets his equal with gifts of the blood. This is the condition the other gods have ordered me to impose.”

“What does that mean? I don’t understand,” Shmi asked, confused and somewhat angry. She was going to be given the power to destroy evil, but not permanently?

Dol Arrah smiled sympathetically. “I am a young goddess and must listen to the words of my elders for they are wise. I have bestowed gifts upon you. There are those with gifts already in their blood. One of your descendents will meet their equal in power. Only then can the door truly be closed. Ready your sword, Shmi Skywalker. The battle is yet to be won.”

With that, the goddess vanished in a flash of light. Shmi blinked and shook her head, the sounds of battle once again raging around her. She fought with a renewed vigor, and the tide of battle began to turn once again.


	2. Chapter 1 - Yule

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gawd I hate my day job, lol

Rey huffed and grunted as she tried to push her shovel through the wet, heavy snow in her driveway. The plastic blade made horrible grinding sounds as she pushed and pushed before it caught on a patch of thick ice frozen to the asphalt. 

“Fucking bullshit,” she snarled as she gave the stubborn wet mess a particularly hard shove with the blade. She was rewarded by being thrown off balance and falling hard on her ass.

“Fuck!” she swore as she felt the cold wet snow seep through her jeans. She pulled herself up using the shovel for balance, dusting the grit off the bottom edge of her coat and jeans. Rey stuck the blade of the shovel into the nearby snowbank and stomped off, her heavy boots clomping and thunking as she wound her way through her messy garage and into her warm house.

Bracing herself with one hand on the counter in her mud room, she toed off her soaked boots and placed them on the plastic mat to drain and dry and shrugged off her heavy winter coat that was maybe two sizes too big and threw it in the mess sink. The dryer had finished its cycle in the time she’d been outside, and Rey silently thanked whatever gods were out there that it had. She tugged open the small door, the dry warmth and the smell of Bounce wafting out, and grabbed the clothes and threw them into her white plastic basket. She carried the load on her hip as she made her way through her small galley kitchen and into her living room, tossing the basket on the couch. She rooted around the warm clothes until she found a pair of wool socks, her favorite black sweatpants, and a blue long sleeve t-shirt. She grabbed a pair of underwear as well and headed to the bathroom, figuring _what the hell, might as well change my skivvies too._

Rey shed her cold damp clothes quickly and tugged on the warm ones, sighing contentedly. She tugged her brush roughly through her chestnut hair, currently wet and tangled from the snow and the hat she wore to keep her ears warm. Her freckled cheeks and nose were flushed from the cold, her hazel eyes looking greener against the bright red. She went back into her kitchen and flipped on her electric kettle to make a mug of tea, setting out her largest cup and tearing open a bag of English Breakfast with her teeth. She was folding her clothes and listening to a comedy special on Netflix when her doorbell rang. She let out a huff, paused the TV, and went to the door. Standing on her tiptoes to peer through the peephole, she saw her old neighbor Luke standing on her porch. She smiled and threw the door open. Luke was always out east helping his sister Leia with one thing or another, but he always made it a point to stop in and see Rey when he got back.

“Luke! What a surprise!” Rey exclaimed after she’d shuffled him inside and taken his coat.

“Hey kid. Snow giving you some trouble?” Luke asked jovially. 

Rey laughed. “Yeah, a little. How was your sister’s?”

Rey’s smile faded when she saw Luke’s clear blue eyes darken with some heavy sadness. His jovial tone didn’t change, however, as he replied, “Oh great! Managed to get some things...done.”

Rey figured she must have been imagining the darkness in his eyes. “Well, come on in! Have a seat! Want some tea?” she offered as the kettle whistled.

“Tea’d be great, Rey, thanks!”

Rey got down another mug and tore open another tea bag and set about fixing their brews. She set a box of day old pastries down on the table in front of Luke and set their mugs down, giving the tea bags a few dunks before extracting them from the hot water and setting them on a small plate. Was it her imagination again, or did Luke look older? She noticed he winced as he lifted his mug off the table, as if his side hurt.

“Everything okay?” she asked with some concern.

Luke cleared his throat, having taken too large a sip of hot tea. “Yeah yeah, just getting old,” he replied, giving her a self-deprecating smile. “Can’t do as many things as I used to.”

Rey smiled sympathetically as she sipped her tea. Her eyes widened when she saw a vicious gash across the back of his hand as he reached for a ginger molasses cookie. “Jesus, Luke! What the hell happened to your hand?”

Luke quickly dropped the cookie and hid his hand in his lap beneath the table. “Uhh, broken glass.”

Rey harrumphed. It wasn’t her imagination. He was hiding something. Luke was staring into his tea and she stared at him. She felt herself slipping into middle distance, almost like she was trying to look into the space between spaces. A fuzzy picture came to her mind. A forest in the dead of winter. The grey wood of the trees. A thick layer of brown leaves coating the ground. A vast glassy lake with a few patches of thin frosty ice. Three hooded figures dashing through the woods, cloaks fluttering and rippling as they ran. A short figure in greyish purple. A tall figure in navy blue, somewhat hunched. A tall figure, broader than the other, in all black. They held different weapons. The small figure, a silver pistol. One of the tall figures, a shotgun. The tall figure in black, a massive greatsword. The sword was covered in some kind of black liquid. They were chasing...something. Rey couldn’t tell. She could hear a strange otherworldly chittering ahead, and she shivered.

Rey froze when the figure in black stopped and turned, looking through her. His face was hidden beneath his black hood and wrapped in a black mask below his eyes, but those eyes were a warm dark whiskey brown. They widened in surprise as he looked at her. _At_ her, not _through_ her, Rey realized with surprise. She felt a warmth spread through her limbs, her fingers tingling pleasantly.

“Rey?” Luke called. He sounded so far away. The vision faded from Rey’s mind.

Rey shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache coming on. That was...odd. It was like the dreams she’d been having at night, but during the day this time. And when she was awake. None of the figures had ever _looked_ at her before. Luke was watching her, his expression carefully blank. She smiled weakly.

“Sorry, got lost in a daydream for a second there,” she said with an apologetic shrug.

Luke coughed and scratched his temple. “Right. Daydream. Yeah. Look, I better get going. Need to...unpack. Thanks for the tea, kid.” He stood abruptly and grabbed his coat from the nearby chair where Rey had thrown it.

Rey followed Luke to the door, still feeling like there was something he wasn’t telling her. Something that she was missing.

“Hey, let me know if you need help with anything. You are getting older,” Rey said with a smile, trying to bring the mood back to the jovial one they’d had when Luke walked in.

“Yeah, I will,” Luke replied cryptically, tugging on his coat and walking out the door. Rey watched him jog the length of her walk, closing her front door with a quiet snap when he’d dashed out of sight.

“What the hell?” Rey muttered to herself as she walked back to her living room in a sort of daze. Luke had been weird. Well, weirder than normal. He lived like a hermit in their little neighborhood, so a little bit of weird was not unusual from him. But this was something else.

Rey folded the rest of her clean laundry distractedly and put the neat stacks back in the basket to carry to her room later. At the moment, she felt strangely exhausted. _Probably from the damn shoveling_ , Rey thought. She flopped on her couch and turned Netflix back on, switching from the comedy special to one of the _Jurassic Parks_. She tugged her favorite blanket over her, rolling a couple of times so it was tucked under her, creating a warm woolen cocoon. She snuggled into the soft throw pillow and closed her eyes, sleep taking her before she could hear Mr. Muldoon cry out “Shoot her!!!”

***

Rey felt herself flying over valleys, mountains, and glens. Over cities and farms. Straight to the heart of an ancient forest. She landed with a hard ‘thud’, throwing dead leaves and dirt up around her with the force of her landing. Strangely enough, nothing hurt, despite the landing. She wasn’t cold either, despite the fact that it was the middle of winter and she still appeared to be in her socks and lazy clothes. She rose cautiously, looking around. Something felt... _off_ about this place. Not quite right. Rey saw nothing and no one around her, save for trees bereft of their leaves. Naked branches stretched towards the sky like claws. A gentle snow was falling, soft fat flakes landing on and around her. Rey stepped forward cautiously, looking this way and that like a scared rabbit. She heard a gentle feminine voice whispering through the trees, and she turned her head abruptly in the direction of the sound, following it with ginger steps. After walking a few paces, the voice suddenly fell silent. Rey inhaled sharply and held her breath. The whole forest had seemed to fall silent. She looked around and still saw nothing. 

She was about to take another step forward when her toe nudged something. Looking down, she saw a scabbard partially obscured by dead leaves and snow. Rey crouched down and dusted the detritus off the weapon, plucking it from the ground and looking it over curiously. Grasping the ivory handle just above the silver hilt with one hand and holding the scabbard with the other, she gave a tug. The weapon came out easily, and Rey’s mouth dropped open as she regarded the blade. It was a beautiful weapon. An elegantly curved long sword, forged from glimmering steel, sparkled in the winter sun. If Rey didn’t know better, she’d think it was silver. But no one made weapons from silver. Delicate filigree was carved near the handle, and Rey ran her fingers over it gently. She stood and gave it a few experimental swings, finding the weapon incredibly well balanced in her hand. Holding it out, Rey realized it seemed to glow, radiating a faint blue light. _Must be a trick of the light,_ she mused, tucking the blade back in its scabbard.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a deep voice whispered from somewhere behind her.

Rey screamed as she whirled around, catching a glimpse of a tall figure in a black cloak, hood up and the hem dusted with dirt and snow before she woke up on her couch with a violent start. She was off balance and fell on the floor, tangled in her blanket. She struggled and thrashed, finally freeing herself. She scrambled to her feet, reaching for a sword that wasn’t there and looking around for the man in black. She swore she heard a laugh somewhere.

She was home. She was alone. She’d never _felt_ so alone. She felt a strange tug in her head.

“You’re not alone,” she heard the deep voice whisper, as if the man it belonged to was still nearby.

She screamed again and again and held the sides of her head until she felt the voice disappear.

_What THE FUCK was that?!_

***

Luke sighed and watched the flames dance in his fireplace. His hot toddy sat beside him on a small table, untouched. Something was troubling him. He needed to know if it was her. He’d moved here firm in that belief, and her episode today over tea had reinforced that belief. He closed his eyes and focused. He could sense the girl, Rey, next door. Her emotions were in tumult. She was terrified. She had dreamed of the forest. Well, not dreamed. Luke knew she had projected herself to the forest without meaning to. Had...Luke furrowed his brows in concentration. _Holy hell_. She’d found the sword. And then...Luke followed the feeling with his mind. Something had frightened her. Startled her out of the projection. Luke groaned and rubbed his eyes. His idiot nephew had scared her. _Dammit, Ben...Wait a minute what’s this?_ Luke followed a different thread in Rey’s mind, tenuous and winding though it was. It was attached to something. Someone. He gave it a tug. He felt someone tug back.

“Uncle Luke?” he heard Ben ask in confusion. “What are you doing in my head? Also, rude!”

Luke’s eyes shot open, severing his connection to Rey’s mind. And, apparently, to Ben’s.

“Shit!” he shouted with excitement as he raced for his phone, his fingers shaking as he dialed the only number he had committed to memory. He didn’t think this would happen in his lifetime...

He waited impatiently while the phone rang. Finally, he heard his twin’s distinctive and commanding voice. “Luke?”

“Leia. It’ definitely her. The girl, Rey. And…,” Luke hesitated, unsure of how his sister would take the news. “It’s him. It’s Ben. It has to be.”

“I KNEW IT!” Leia shrieked on the other end of the phone, so loud Luke had to hold the receiver away from his ear. He hung up when she started calling for Han.

Luke tented his fingers and sat back in his ancient leather armchair, the blood red fabric groaning as he shifted. 

_What the hell do I do now? How do you tell a twenty-something mechanic that they’re the key to defeating ancient Abyssal evil? And that you need to introduce them to your hot-headed nephew?_


	3. Chapter 2 - Imbolc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this is turning out more 'fantasy' than 'haunted,' so i hope that's ok!

A black robed figure stalked through the dark trees, the only sound the whisper of his cloak as its hem kissed the snowy leaves. Night had long since fallen. The barest glimpses of the stars in the night sky could be seen through the branches, but Ben didn’t bother to look up that high. He was tired. It had been a long day. A good day, but a long day. The efforts of he and his parents had staved off another incursion of demonic imps and mephits, buying them maybe another week or so of peace and quiet while the dark forces regrouped.

And then there’d been that... _incident_. With the girl. The girl his mother and his uncle wouldn’t shut up about. The one they were convinced was the one that would help them, or rather _him_ , close the veil permanently, banish the evil back to the Abyss where it belonged. Rey.

Ben snorted. _Yeah, right._ Like _he_ needed the help. It was just a silly old legend. He could do this on his own. Ben never said this out loud, except to his father, but he was convinced Shmi had been hallucinating. A delirium brought on by adrenaline during the heat of battle. Han would shrug noncommittally and mutter something asinine and go back to cleaning his shotgun. Once though, he had said something to Ben that stuck with him.

“Whether your mom and uncle are right or not about this prophecy bullshit, there are monsters out there, and they mean us all harm. For one reason or another, it’s our lot in life to protect ourselves, to protect others,” he’d grumbled.

“What if I don’t want this to be my lot in life, Dad?” Ben asked quietly. He hadn’t been serious, not really. Ben had been eighteen at the time and just itching for something different. He’d never had a normal life. He wondered what that would be like, even just for a little bit.

Han and leaned back and thought a moment, regarding his son with a sad expression in his bright blue eyes. He sighed. “It’s your choice to leave or stay, Ben, in spite of what your mother and uncle believe. But I think these evils will follow you wherever you go.”

Ben had thought for a long while, watching his dad clean and oil his trusty shotgun. As Han carefully wiped the barrel with a soft cloth, Ben asked, his voice hardly above a whisper, “Do you regret it, Dad? Staying with Mom?” Han hadn’t been born into this life, like Ben had been. Han had met Leia when he’d been passing through the nearby town. He’d bumped into her as she’d been coming out of the pharmacy with first aid supplies and asked her out for a coffee. A small group of Quasits had attacked them after their date, Leia making quick work of them with Han’s help. Several beers and a long explanation later, Han had resolved to stick around.

“I’m not good for much, but I’m a damn good shot,” he’d said, making Leia laugh.

“I think there’s more to you than you think,” she’d said.

Meeting Ben’s gaze, Han sighed heavily again. “I love your mother. I love you, Ben. Never doubt that, even for a second.” Han looked away before whispering, “But yes, sometimes I regret that I stayed.”

His words had hit Ben in the gut like he’d been punched. He stared at his father, wide eyed, almost disbelieving. Ben continued to stare slack jawed as Han carefully cleaned up his workbench, putting away tools, oil, and cloth before getting up to head back inside. He rooted around in his pocket for a moment, still unable to meet Ben’s gaze. He tossed the keys to his old Falcon on the workbench, finally looking Ben in the eye.

“Your mother might kill me, but I think you deserve a choice, Son. Remember what I taught you,” he said in a grave voice before turning on his heel and heading inside.

So, Ben left that night after packing a few things and grabbing some of the cash his parents hid under the floorboards. Leia had been angry, but only at first. She understood. He went to college. Made friends, even dated a little. He lived a normal life, for a time anyway. Then, just as his father had predicted, the evil found him.

Ben sighed as he reached the gate of his grandfather’s old home. The structure was dark and foreboding thanks to the covered wrap-around porch and the long rusted seven foot iron fence that surrounded the property. It was Ben’s now. His mother and father lived in the nearby town, but Ben chose to live among the monsters in the woods. The boundary of the estate, if could even be called that, was protected by old warding magic and sacred blessings. Ben would occasionally scatter salt around the perimeter of the fence, although he’d prefer to just let the monsters try and attack. He enjoyed cutting them down. He never shared that with his mother or his uncle, however. Leia’s one condition for letting him live alone in the old family homestead was that he would always take protective precautions. If he was actually honest with himself, Ben was more afraid of pissing off his imposing mother than he was of anything the Abyss had ever thrown at him. 

Tugging the handle down, Ben shoved open the obstinate old gate open, closing it behind him with a clang. Pausing to listen, it didn’t surprise him to be greeted with silence. He was alone, and he liked it that way. Well, not completely alone, that was another condition of Leia’s.

He walked up the creaking wooden steps of the porch and shoved open the ponderous door. The modest home had been impressive once, the old brick and wood still containing a glimmer of what they once were. Ben was a bit busy to bother with superficial upkeep, although he did keep the glass in the windows and mirrors polished. That was practical though. You could banish demons that way. He made sure the structure was still sound, that electricity still hummed, and that the water still ran. Otherwise, he let the paint chip and the stain fade. No point in repainting when demon blood would melt it off should they manage to get through the barriers he’d thrown up.

Slamming the heavy wooden behemoth closed and resting his greatsword on the nearby table, he called out, “I’m hoooo-ooome!”

A pounding of paws and the scratch of nails on wood answered, and a large black wolf hound burst out of the living room entryway The beast leapt at Ben, smothering his cheeks with kisses.

Ben fell to the floor, laughing. “Okay! Okay! Cerberus, down!” he commanded. Cerberus obeyed, giving a small whine. Ben stood and pulled his gloves off and scratched behind the dog’s ears. Cerberus closed his eyes in happiness, leaning into his master’s touch.

“Good boy. Keep the monsters at bay today?” 

Cerberus gave a low ‘woof.’

Ruffling his head, Ben made his way up the stairs towards his bedroom with the wolfhound at his heels. “Good boy.”

Reaching the room at the end of the hall, Ben flicked the light on. He unfastened his cloak and pulled off his mask, throwing both unceremoniously over the armchair in front of the small fireplace. A threadbare Persian rug covered the scarred wooden floor. Faded grey silk paper covered the walls. A massive four poster bed of dark ebony stood in the middle of the room, covered in unassuming linen and cotton. A down comforter was thrown back, encased in a blood red velvet duvet, the duvet worn from use. Ben tugged off his hunting clothes and boots, throwing them in the corner of the adjoining bathroom, and pulled on a pair of sweatpants along with a grey t-shirt. He padded out of the room, Cerberus still on his heels, and to the kitchen at the back of the house.

Fixing a bit of dinner for himself and his companion, venison along with what Han lovingly referred to as ‘rabbit food,’ Ben plopped down at a small dining table and ate in companionable silence with his dog. Most of his days were like this, and he didn’t really mind. Cerberus was good company. He didn’t yell at him about ‘destiny’ and ‘prophecy.’ Didn’t put weighty expectations on Ben’s shoulders. Didn’t live with the burden of regret. 

Suddenly, Cerberus let out a sharp whine. Ben grabbed the long bladed silver dagger he kept on the table, looking up and around hastily. He saw nothing. He held his breath and listened. He heard nothing, save for Cerberus.

“What’s the matter, you silly bag-of-bones?”

Cerberus continued to whine softly, but rested his noble head on his paws.

Ben frowned. Whatever it was, apparently it wasn’t a big deal. He set the dagger down and picked up his fork, appetite suddenly gone. However, he needed the calories, so he finished his food and put the dirty plate in the sink. There was a small stack of dishes there and Ben groaned.

“Whatever. Fuck that,” he grumbled as he grabbed a beer from the fridge and snapped the cap off, tossing it in the trash. He shuffled out of the kitchen and to the living room, Cerberus rising up off the tiled floor and following at an eager trot. Living room time meant snuggle time to Cerberus. 

Ben flopped on the couch, the old velvet nap worn through, tucking his knees up so he could balance a book there. Cerberus jumped up deftly for a dog his size and curled up at his master’s feet. Ben snapped his fingers, and a fire sprang to life in the cold hearth, crackling cheerfully, its warmth spreading across the dusty floor. Ben reached for a large leather bound tome on the coffee table, reaching his other arm over his head to grab a pen from the side table behind him. The spine of the volume creaked and cracked when Ben opened it, and he carefully flipped through the thick creamy pages to find where he’d left off. Putting pen to paper, he began to recount the day’s events in a fine, practiced hand. He’d always been inordinately proud of his penmanship.

Ben imagined they painted quite a picture - a man and his dog resting on an old couch with a crackling fire in the hearth. Almost normal. However, Ben was a monster hunter recounting the day’s observations and kills in the family monster hunting journal and his dog was a massive wolfhound he’d conjured into existence. Ben sighed and ceased writing for a moment to gaze into the fire. He watched the flames snap and dance, sinuous, mesmerizing. He felt himself slipping away, far away.

Ben blinked several times, bringing the fuzzy picture into focus. He wasn’t at home anymore, that was obvious. The furniture in this small living room was neutral colored and very plush looking. _A lot of down_ , he noted. Knick knacks were scattered on bookshelves and the mantle over the small fireplace. An antique lamp stood on a delicate looking side table. A blanket of plaid wool was thrown over the arm of the sofa, and a TV was giving off an unnatural blue glow in the dark space. Then, he heard a voice. _Her_ voice. It started as a whisper but seemed to grow louder as he focused on it.

“Get in here, you ninny. You’ll catch your death out there!” she was scolding. She shook a bag of something, and Ben heard the excited pitter patter of dainty paws. Suddenly, a dusty grey long haired cat darted into view, its eyes glowing green. It looked straight at him and hissed, flicking its fluffy tail to and fro. _She would have a cat_ , Ben thought as he rolled his eyes.

“Hissing at ghosts?” the girl asked the cat as she sauntered into Ben’s view. Ben raised a brow in surprise. She couldn’t see him, not this time. She tossed a couple of treats on the floor in front of the growling animal and threw herself back down on the couch. She was dressed like Ben was, in sweats and a tank top, clearly her preferred uniform. Her warm brown hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and her hazel eyes seemed tired. She yawned as she tucked herself under the blanket, lying on her side to finish whatever show she was watching. Instead, she was asleep within seconds. The cat crunched its treats loudly, its gaze never leaving Ben. When it finished, it hopped lightly onto the couch and curled onto the girl’s hip, watching Ben with a look that said “I _dare_ you to disturb her.”.

Ben watched Rey sleep for a little while. He realized she was actually quite pretty, especially when relaxed in sleep. Even by the dim light of the TV, he could see she had adorable freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks. Like the furniture around her, she looked...soft. It was the only word Ben could think of. Not that she was weak, because she seemed incredibly fit and capable, if her well toned figure was any indication. Maybe kind was a better word. It wasn’t exactly something familiar to Ben, having lived a life filled with danger and violence, of monumental import and weighty expectations, since the day he was born. He wondered absentmindedly what it would be like, to be a normal person able to ask this girl out on a date and come back to her home afterward for tea or coffee. To sleep beside her in her bed. To hold her without having to worry about what might creep up on them in the night. Why did Luke and his mother want to drag this poor girl into their mess? Hadn’t Ben proved himself capable enough? He could bring an end to this on his own. There was no need to drag anyone else into this nightmare. Wasn’t he enough?

Right then, the dratted cat let out a shriek and ran hissing and spitting out of the room.

“Jesus fuck!” Ben screamed as Rey jumped up off the couch.

She was looking around wildly, her chest heaving. Ben felt a sinking sensation in his gut as he heard a low, deep snarl coming from the darkest corner of her living room. Ben could barely make out a large shape in the dark. 

“Rey, run!” he shouted. Rey finally looked at him, finally saw him, and her eyes went wide as saucers. Ben felt hopeless, powerless as he stood there, unable to help her. He was there and not there. He clenched his fists.

Rey was frozen, staring at him with her arms crossed protectively over her chest, her mouth open but no sound was coming out.

“Rey, please!” Ben begged. “You have to get out of here!”

The creature in the corner gave a louder growl, and Rey finally turned towards the sound. 

“What the hell?” Rey whispered quietly as the creature stepped forward into the dim light cast by the TV. _Oh shit_ , Ben thought. He knew it immediately as a Berbalang, which he considered odd. They were knowledge seekers. They were...Ben felt the sinking feeling deepen. Spies. Scrawny and long limbed with large bat-like wings and a bulbous head with long pointed ears. It’s skin was a mottled purplish red, it’s eyes white. It raised one long arm, razor sharp claws at the end, ready to take a swing at Rey. 

As Ben leapt instinctively in between the Berbalang and Rey, she threw her arms out in a warding gesture, her hands and fingers outstretched.

“No!” she screamed.

There was a pop and a whiff of smoke. The Berbalang had disappeared. She’d banished it back to the Abyss.

It was Ben’s turn to look wide-eyed at Rey. “What the hell?” he whispered as Rey heaved and collapsed in front of him.


	4. Chapter 3 - Ostara

It had been several weeks since The Incident, as Rey thought of it. 

She had woken up back on the couch, wrapped in her favorite blanket, totally alone save for Dusty. The cat had taken up position on the back of the couch and was staring unblinking at a spot on the floor behind her. Rey had sat up and rubbed her face.

“What a fucked up dream,” she groaned to herself. Dusty hardly moved a hair, which was strange. A low rumble was coming from him, and Rey stilled. 

“It was a dream...right?” she asked Dusty.

The cat continued to growl.

Rey got up and walked around her couch to the spot Dusty was staring at. Where the monster had been standing in her dream There was a faint scorch mark and a bit of ash on the wood floor. Rey paled. No, it couldn’t be. Maybe it had come from an ember from the fire she’d had a while back. That she forgot to clean up and didn’t notice until now. _Riiight._

And then there’d been that guy. His voice had been so familiar. He knew her name. Tried to throw himself in front of her. That one still floored Rey. Her own parents hadn’t loved her enough to stick around, but some guy had thrown himself in front of some clawed monster for her. _Well, it HAD been a dream_. Rey quickly scanned her living room and listened for sounds that shouldn’t be. Nothing. She was alone. Last time a voice had told her she wasn’t alone. Had that been his voice? The man in black?

“If that was you, you’re more approachable in sweats,” Rey muttered to herself. _More attractive too_. He’d been tall and broad, with pale skin and a mop of unkempt black hair. Rey gave herself a shake and went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea like she always did when she was out of sorts.

She spent the next several days constantly looking over her shoulder. She was distracted at work, every clang in the shop making her jump. She dropped her wrenches more times than she could count. Her boss, Poe Dameron, went so far as to pull her into his office to ask if she was alright.

With a concerned tilt of his swarthy head, he asked, “Did something happen, Rey? You’re pretty jumpy these days.”

Rey put on her brightest smile and replied, “Oh no, Boss! Just a bit distracted is all.”

Poe leaned back in his chair and regarded her with a skeptical expression. Rey fidgeted under his scrutiny and winced when she felt a strange pressure behind her eyes. She rubbed them and tried to push the feeling out. Poe flinched and sat back up. 

“Right,” he muttered, like he knew she wasn’t telling the truth. “Well, try to stay focused, Rey. I can have Finn help you out if you want. We don’t need a Land Rover falling on you,” he said in a more jovial tone.

Rey laughed at the weak joke, and she liked Finn well enough, but she didn’t need the help, bristling slightly at the suggestion. “No need, Boss. I’m fine.”

The idea that Poe thought the quality of her work was slipping jolted Rey back to the present, and she resolved to put this whole dream business behind her. She was a damn good mechanic, and the thought of disappointing a customer was practically offensive to her. She noticed Finn hovering a bit more than was called for in the ensuing days, but she tried not to take it personally. She knew Poe was just trying to watch the shop’s back. They worked on a lot of high end vehicles, and high end vehicles came with high maintenance clients. They didn’t need a lawsuit or a bad review.

Things went back to normal shortly after that. The first hints of spring began to creep through the snow and chill of winter, which made a lot of people happy. Except Rey. Slush and mud is what it meant to her. Although, the sun did shine warmer, which she enjoyed. Too bad the snow it shined on looked filthy and disgusting.

Rey gently lowered the hood of the Porsche she was tuning up, wiping her greasy hands on the rag she kept in her belt. She jotted a couple more things on the receipt before she handed it to Poe to give the customer. 

“Tell Mr. Biggs that just because his car _can_ go from 0-160 in 2.5 seconds doesn’t mean it _should_ ,” Rey muttered.

“Will do,” Poe chuckled. “How’s it going these days Rey? Any more strange dreams?”

“No, not since…” Rey looked up suddenly. She hadn’t told Poe about the weird dream. Had she? She was sure she hadn’t told anyone. Poe and Finn were probably her closest friends, and she was sure she hadn’t mentioned it to either of them. It was too weird. Besides, Poe would have gotten all psychoanalytical saying how it meant she needed to get laid, and Finn would have said it meant she needed to “confront her past” or some shit. 

Poe was looking at her with a curious expression on his face. Like he knew something she didn’t. She’d seen that look before. On Luke’s face last time she’d seen him. Rey cocked her head to the side and wiped her hands with her rag some more. “Do you know a Luke Skywalker?” she asked.

Poe made a “beats me” expression and shrugged. “Name sounds kinda familiar. Customer maybe. Why?”

Rey shrugged back. He was lying. She knew it. “No reason,” she replied as she went to the locker room to scrub out and change. Unzipping her blue-grey jumpsuit and kicking off her work boots, she tugged on her jeans and laced up her Converse. Her arms were covered in motor oil and grease, so she grabbed her tin of strong soap and went to the bathroom. She scrubbed and scrubbed until her hands and arms were raw and red, but clean. She washed her face next before heading back to her locker to put on her t-shirt. She rubbed a bit of Eucerin mixed with Lollia hand cream over her arms and hands before she slipped on her black Patagonia sweater and headed home. She was grateful for the thick rubber soles of her shoes as she headed through the slush and muck of the municipal parking lot to her car.

She frowned at some guy who was leering at her a few feet from her car in the lot. He was smoking a cigarette, his motions turning blatantly suggestive and his eyes looking her up and down. Rey imagined how funny it would be if his lighter caught fire in his pocket right next to his crotch. The man suddenly yelped as his pocket starting burning, smoke curling from his hip. Rey figured an ember from the cigarette must have burned through the plastic to the butane. 

“Serves you right, prick,” she grumbled as she turned the key in the ignition and sped off, watching the man hop and flap his arms in her rearview mirror.

***

Pulling into her garage, Rey didn’t see anything amiss, but she felt a prickling sensation at the back of her neck. Getting out of her car, she closed the door as quietly as she could and grabbed a crowbar off of the nearby shelf. Holding it in front of her, she quietly open the door and tiptoed into the mudroom, shutting it softly behind her. She heard nothing, not even Dusty. She relaxed a little. If Dusty wasn’t hissing or growling, things should be alright. _Unless…_ Rey paled at the thought. Holding the crowbar in both hands, she crept into her kitchen. _Nothing out of place. No weird smells._

“Dusty!” she hissed. “Dusty!”

Rey breathed a sigh of relief when she heard a delicate meow followed by a soft thump. She set her crowbar down on the counter and pulled off her shoes, tossing them near the washer behind her as Dusty sauntered into view, tail held proudly. Dusty stretched luxuriously before jumping up onto the kitchen island and nuzzling Rey’s arm. She gave the cat a gentle scratch behind the ears, making him purr. She poured some food into his bowl and sprinkled a few treats on top, earning her several excited yowls. She watched Dusty gobble up his food for a minute before she headed towards her bedroom. She stripped her clothes off unceremoniously, leaving them in a pile near her hamper, before she walked the few remaining paces to her adjoining bathroom. Turning the knob all the way towards the ‘H,’ Rey finished undressing, hanging her bra on the door handle and tossing her underwear back into the bedroom. She watched the water rush out of the faucet for a moment, enjoying the swirling of the steam around the stream of water before she tugged the shower pull. She wished she had some essential oils or something handy. Rey closed her eyes and imagined the scents of lavender and sandalwood wafting around her, soothing her frazzled nerves. When she opened them, she swore the scents were there, teasing her nose. She got in the shower without a second thought, attributing it to her overactive imagination. As she rinsed out her conditioner, Rey thought she saw the shadow of a man out of the corner of her eye. Peeking out of the shower curtain, she only saw her blinking owlish eyes staring back at her in the foggy mirror. She shook her head and finished her shower, determined to put these strange feelings aside for the rest of the evening.

After heating a bit of her leftover Pad Thai, Rey planted herself on her couch and switched on Ol’ Reliable, aka Netflix. She navigated to her favorite John Mulaney special and focused on eating her leftovers without making a mess. It didn’t take long for Dusty to curl up next to her hip, trying to force her off the small couch so he could lounge. Eventually, Rey did end up on the floor _somehow_ , her empty bowl on the coffee table. The special over, she flipped to another standby of hers, _Daredevil_. She was hardly five minutes into the first episode before she was on her side and her head was nestled against a pillow she’d thrown on the floor. Her eyes drifted closed, and she was out.

***

When Rey opened her eyes, she was standing outside a rusted iron gate. Dead leaves and snow swirled in the yard before her, a flagstone path leading up to a dark and foreboding old home. Compelled by some force she couldn’t comprehend, Rey pushed the latch down on the gate, the door swinging open with a groan of protest, and stepped into the yard. Walking slowly up the path, she sensed no danger in front of her, only a feeling of… What was that feeling? Rey turned the warm feeling over and over in her mind, as if it was some kind of stone or object she could examine. It was foreign, strange, but intoxicating. It felt like...she _belonged_ here. That’s what was in front of her, belonging. Rey wrapped her arms around her slim body, trying to hold the feeling close.

Walking up the creaking porch steps, Rey paused at the massive front door. It was maybe one and a half times the size of a normal door. Dark stained wood, long ago scarred by weather or... _something_. Heavy. A massive pane of stained glass depicting a five pointed star within a circle took up almost half of the door. Rey pushed the handle down, and the door swung open easily for her. A dark foyer stood before her, and Rey stepped inside cautiously. A dim sconce was on her right. Peeking past the open archway, Rey saw a tidy, if old, living room, the fireplace dark. Rey could barely make out bookshelves lining the walls. Just past the archway was a set of stairs, a dark hallway beside them leading towards the back of the house. Rey saw a large leather book on the coffee table, but didn’t enter the room to investigate. The belonging feeling wasn’t in here.

Rey walked up the stairs timidly, trying not to make a sound. On the landing, Rey peeked in the door on her right. Study. There was a hallway on her left. Walking to the end of the hallway, Rey pushed open the half closed door that blocked her way. Rey gasped softly. A fire was dying in the small hearth. An armchair sat beside the fireplace, a lamp beside it. In the middle of the room stood a massive four poster bed, occupied by a huge black dog and a very familiar looking sleeping man. The dog was watching her, a curious expression on its face. Rey walked into the room cautiously, the old wooden floor silent beneath her feet. Reaching the edge of the bed, she held her fingers out to the dog, who gave them a friendly snuffle. The dog rested his head on his massive paws after giving Rey a sniff, and Rey figured that meant it was okay to approach the sleeping man.

Rey looked down at the sleeping man. He was lying on his side, his pale face pinched and pained. He was having a dream, and not a very pleasant one, if Rey had to guess. His hair was a dark mess against the white of the pillowcase, and Rey reached out to smooth some of the strands back from his damp forehead. Rey flinched and retracted her fingers when the man let out a whimpering sound, clutching his blankets tighter to his chest. 

“Please don’t,” he was begging some invisible assailant. “Don’t hurt her. Please.”

The dog lying at the foot of the bed let out a mournful whine and looked at Rey with beseeching eyes.

“Who? Don’t hurt who?” Rey whispered, reaching out again. She was pretty sure she knew the answer already. She felt it deep in the marrow of her bones, perhaps etched there since time immemorial. 

“Don’t hurt Rey. Take me instead,” he whimpered.

Rey sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed his hair back, resting her other hand gently on his shoulder. “Shh. I’m here. No one’s hurting me.” Rey paused and probed the depths of her mind, searching for something. Finding a thread she didn’t realize was there, she touched it with her mind. She felt rather than heard the name ‘Ben’ echo across her mind.

“I’m here, Ben,” she whispered as she smoothed his hair again. Saying his name felt _right_. “Ben,” she whispered again, enjoying the sound, the feel of it on her tongue.

Ben’s eyes shot open, and before Rey knew it, he’d seized her and had her pinned beneath him. His eyes were wide, his pupils dilated in fear. His chest was heaving. Rey was shocked at the number of scars that ran across the pale skin of his torso. He was holding her by the wrists, and she flexed her hands experimentally. Ben loosened his grasp but did not let her up.

“Are you really here?” he asked in a raspy voice. It sounded as if he’d been screaming. Rey’s heart gave a lurch at the thought of him in pain.

Rey licked her lip. She noticed his gaze flick to the tiny movement. _Was she?_ “I don’t know,” she murmured honestly.

Ben hummed with exhaustion and flopped beside her on the bed, pulling her to him and holding tight. Rey tucked the blankets around them both and let herself drift off with him breathing steadily behind her in the downy softness of his bed.

She woke again with a start, disappointed to find herself back on her cold hard floor, her stomach clenching unpleasantly. Looking at her phone, she saw that it was well past two in the morning. She groaned and rose stiffly, joints cracking, and shambled to her bed. 

She was snuggled deep in her covers when she sighed and closed her eyes, Dusty making himself comfortable at her feet, letting out an indignant meow at something. Rey’s eyes shot open again when she felt strong arms wrap around her and pull her close to a warm, familiar chest. One curled hand made its home near her heart, and she knew he could feel its frantic beat.

“I’m not going anywhere, Rey. My Little Bird,” Ben murmured into her hair as his hand spread over her heart, feeling its beat. “I’m Ben, by the way.”

“I know,” Rey replied quietly, closing her eyes with a smile.


	5. Chapter 4 - Beltane

When Rey woke up the next morning, she was alone in her bed. She sat up, bending her knees, and rubbed her hands over her face. This was getting ridiculous. She felt like she was going crazy. These interactions with Ben, few that they were, seemed like so much more than dreams. _But that’s impossible_ , Rey told herself.

“Thank God it’s Saturday,” Rey muttered as she dragged herself out of bed to make her morning cup of tea and eat some toast. She rarely had a Saturday off. Dusty followed, stretching along the way. Opening the cupboard where she kept her tea things, Rey was dismayed to discover that she only had one tea bag left. She groaned. Rey opened her fridge to see if it was in the same state as her tea cabinet, that is to say, empty. 

“Goddammit,” she swore. All that was in there was a suspicious looking container of leftovers from eons past and a box of baking soda, plus the remains of what at one point had probably been carrots. She’d have to drag herself to the grocery store today. 

“So much for a lazy Saturday,” she muttered, slamming the fridge closed. She’d been looking forward to lying around on the different flat surfaces of her house - couch, bed, couch again. Maybe cleaning a little if she felt ambitious. Maybe thinking about Ben. Just a little bit. Not too much. Was it wrong to fantasize about a guy you’d only seen in dreams? Rey wasn’t sure, and she didn’t particularly care. She wasn’t even one hundred percent sure he was real, so what did it matter anyway?

As her kettle heated, Rey stomped back to her bedroom and tugged on a pair of jeans she plucked from the floor of her closet. Glancing out her window as she fastened her bra, Rey saw the sun shining brightly, making everything look more alive. At least it’s nice out. It looked warm outside, so she chose to forego a sweater and slipped on a grey long sleeve t-shirt instead. She poured her tea into a clean Yeti tumbler, tugged on a pair of black rainboots, and headed out.

***

After filling her cart with a mix of necessary things like tea, meat, fruits, and vegetables, as well as some unnecessary things like three bottles of nail polish, a set of sheets, and a couple of chocolate bars, Rey navigated through the throngs of Saturday shoppers to the checkout lanes. She looked around for her favorite cashier - a friendly grandmotherly type woman who always slipped a sucker into one of Rey’s bags. She made small talk with the cashier, Mona, as she rang up her order, shoved her card in the chip reader, and waited for it to angrily beep at her when it was done. 

“Have a nice day, Hun!” Mona called as Rey made her way out of the lane.

Rey flipped her a wave and replied in her cheeriest voice, “You too!” 

Rey heaved a sigh, leaning heavily on her cart as she wheeled the rickety thing out to her car. She hated grocery shopping on Saturdays. The crowds overwhelmed her, more so lately. It was like she could feel the emotions of others wrapping around her, suffocating her. Their thoughts screamed at her like the forced laughs of a million art house movie patrons. Rey tried her best to shut it all out, but it always made her tired. She tucked her bags carefully in the trunk of her car and made sure to place her cold things in the insulated tote she kept there. As she was zipping the tote shut, she felt a cold prickle on the back of her neck. Rey rubbed the skin roughly as she slammed the trunk shut, looking behind her quickly. She paled when she saw three men staring at her. They flicked their cigarettes to the ground and pushed off the car they were leaning on, stalking towards her. Rey turned and made a dash for the driver’s side door, but yelped when one of them appeared in front of her, holding it closed.

“Going somewhere?” he hissed, his mouth twisted in a strange facsimile of a smile.

Rey panicked. Something was...off about this guy. His eyes were black as pitch and his teeth looked like they’d been sharpened into points. Rey looked around desperately, but she saw no one paying them any attention, which again struck her as odd. _Three creepy guys sneak up on a woman in a crowded supermarket parking lot and no one notices? What the fuck?_ Rey frowned, realizing the people close by appeared blurry, as if they were on the other side of some bubble.

“Oh don’t worry, no one’s going to bother us. We just wanted to have a little chat,” the man in front of her said. His voice was strange, sibilant and hissing. Rey looked over her shoulder and saw the other two keeping a short distance behind them, arms crossed.

“Yeah?” Rey said defiantly, crossing her own arms. She felt prickles of energy in her fingers, and she rubbed her fingertips together surreptitiously, focusing on that energy. She felt it grow, almost solidify, until she could wrap her hand around it like a baseball.

“You were very rude to our master yesterday. He wanted us to teach you a lesson,” said the hissing man, licking his lips. Rey blinked a couple times in shock. His tongue was forked like a snake’s.

“That prick in the parking lot? Tell him he can fuck right the hell off,” Rey snarled. In one flash of movement, she unfolded her arms and threw her hand out, releasing the energy she’d felt building there. She watched in shock as what appeared to be a ball of blue electrical energy shot forward from her hand and hit the hissing man straight between the eyes. He screamed in pain and collapsed on the ground, hissing and writhing as the electricity tore through him. Rey whirled around to face the other two, clenching her fists at her sides. She felt two more balls of energy form, and she threw one at each of the other men, hitting both square in the chest. Each collapsed on the ground with a groan.

Rey was breathing heavily, staring the men on the ground around her, and wondered what in the hell had just happened when a fourth man stepped out from behind a massive black truck. Rey looked up and recognized the prick from the parking lot. He looked enraged as he ran towards her. She snarled in anger. This was NOT how her Saturday was supposed to go. She felt the energy pulse in her fists again, and this time she brought them together before thrusting her hands out causing a much larger burst of energy. It hit the man square in the gut, and he collapsed, groaning in pain.

“You didn’t tell us she was a fucking wytch, you asshole!” the snake man screamed.

Rey whirled around to him and shouted, “What the fuck did you just say!?”

The man hissed up at her and tried to get to his feet. Rey kicked him in the temple. Hard. He groaned and stopped moving.

“Rey!” cried a familiar voice.

Rey looked up, startled to see Poe and Finn running through the bubble towards her. Finn jumped over the pair of men on the ground and grabbed Rey’s shoulders, giving her a slight shake. “Are you okay?”

Rey ignored Finn and watched as Poe knocked out the one they called ‘master’ and tossed him in the back of the truck.

He dusted his hands exaggeratedly and smiled at Rey. “You probably have questions,” he stated.

Rey could only stare with her mouth hanging open.

“Please get in your car,” Finn urged. “Follow us. We’ll take you to a place you can get some answers.”

“I am not going anywhere until you tell me what the fuck that was and how you seem to know about it,” Rey shouted, pointing at the men still on the ground.

“We saw the shadow field and came to help, but you seemed to have things well in hand,” Poe said genially.

“They’re Abyss servants,” Finn added, like that was supposed to help.

“Why did that one call me a wytch?” Rey asked, ignoring Finn’s comment for the moment.

“Because that’s what you are,” Finn answered gently. He looked at Poe, worry written on his features. 

“Rey, please follow us. Maz can help explain things,” Poe insisted.

“Wait, the little old lady who runs the New Age store?”

“Yeah,” both men said.

Rey nodded slowly. “Okay. Okay. I could use some answers.”

***

Rey sat shell shocked in the dimly lit store as Maz poured her another cup of tea. Maz was saying something in her melodious voice, but Rey couldn’t hear through the blood rushing in her ears. Something about Celestials and demons, Dol Arrah and the Abyss. The struggle of Good and Evil. Rey brought the delicate porcelain cup to her lips and took a sip. The brew was herbal and earthy. Rey felt herself relax a little bit. Poe was pacing around the dark backroom, unable to keep still for even a moment. Finn was sitting across from her, concern on his brow.

“So that’s the gist of it, Child. The battle between Good and Evil isn’t just a metaphorical one,” Maz said solemnly. 

“One of the guys who attacked me called me a ‘wytch,’” Rey said softly. “What does that mean?”

Maz gave Rey a small smile. “It means that you are a powerful magic user. Wytches are those who have the ancient magic in their blood. It’s rare to see nowadays, and it usually manifests much earlier, but something awakened the magic inside you.” Maz took Rey’s hand and frowned slightly. “It’s growing quickly.”

“What does that mean?” Rey asked, unable to keep the tremor of fear from her voice.

Maz looked into Rey’s hazel eyes sympathetically. “I’m not sure exactly. But, I think something is coming.”

Poe stopped his pacing. “Maz, you don’t think..? The Prophecy?”

Maz sighed and looked at Poe. “I don’t know. It could be.”

Rey felt a weight closing in around her, heavy and suffocating. She jumped up, knocking her chair over behind her. Finn, Maz, and Poe all looked up at her, concerned. “I’m sorry, I need to go,” she said, louder than she meant to as she ran from the room. 

She was halfway through the shop before Poe caught up with her. He touched her arm gently, stopping her.

“Poe, I think I need some time off,” Rey whispered shakily.

“No shit, you think?” Poe said jovially. That was something Rey always loved about Poe; nothing seemed to phase him. It helped her stay calm. “Take all the time you need, Rey. Your job’ll be here when you get back. Take some time, get away. Meditate or do yoga or some shit. This is a lot to process. Finn ‘n me have been there.”

“Thanks, Boss. I think my neighbor Luke has a cabin out east. Maybe I’ll see if he’ll let me use it,” Rey said, wiping her cheek.

Something knowing twinkled in Poe’s eyes. “I’m sure he will.”

***

The first thing Rey did when she got home was put away her groceries. She felt like a robot while she did it, going through the motions but not really feeling them. She gave Dusty a few treats and watched him gobble them up. On impulse, she picked him up when he was done, nuzzling into his long soft fur. Surprisingly, the animal gave no protest, and he snuggled happily against her chest, purring loudly. Comforted, Rey carried Dusty with her as she walked the short distance to Luke’s house. Just as she was reaching for the doorbell, the door opened, and Rey was looking into Luke’s clear blue eyes.

“Hey, Kiddo,” Luke said wearily. He looked tired, Rey noted. She wondered if it was old age or if he knew about the apparent centuries long war between Good and Evil.

“Hey, Neighbor. Umm, I was wondering. My boss at the shop has given me some time off, and I was wondering, do you still have that cabin out east?” Rey asked hesitantly.

Luke’s eyes brightened a smidgen. “Yeah I do. You want to use it?”

“If it’s not too much trouble,” Rey said, trying to shrug slightly with Dusty in her arms.

Luke waved his hands. “No! No trouble at all! Let me find the key and write down the address. Hang on.” 

Leaving his door open, Luke disappeared into the house. Rey waited politely on his porch for him to come back, listening to the sounds of him rummaging around in his kitchen. 

“Ah-ha!” Rey heard Luke cry triumphantly. He was back in a few short seconds, holding the key and a slip of paper out to her. Rey took it with some difficulty, her arms currently full of sleeping cat, and put it in her pocket.

“Thanks, Luke,” she said gratefully.

“No problem! Stay as long as you want. It’s got heat and water, Internet, all that. My sister or nephew checks on it every once in a while for me, so it should be in good shape.”

“I didn’t know you had a nephew.”

Rey heard a beeping sound from somewhere inside, maybe an oven timer. “Uhh, yeah. Hey, gotta go. Enjoy your vacation!” Luke said as he closed his door, essentially giving Rey the brush off.

“Thanks,” Rey said to the closed door. “God, he’s weird,” she muttered to Dusty as she walked back to her house.

She opened and closed her front door quietly and carried Dusty to her room, settling him gently amidst the blankets on her bed. She took the key and paper out of her pocket and went to her laptop, put the address in Google Maps, and began planning her trip. Luke’s cabin was on the edge of Acadia National Forest on an island off the coast of Maine. Rey figured that was about as far away from her problems as she could get. She spent the rest of her day making lists, packing a couple duffle bags with cool and warm weather clothes, and digging Dusty’s travel carrier out of storage. She notified the Post Office to have her mail forwarded, and dropped off the perishable groceries she’d just bought at Finn and Poe’s.

“Be careful Rey,” Finn admonished as she was about to leave.

“I will, Finn,” Rey said, grateful for her friend’s concern.

“Do you have any kind of protection or anything?” he asked.

“Of course! I’ve got my Walther PPK and a .22 packed already. You know what a cautious girl I am,” Rey reassured him.

Finn breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh! Take this,” he said, pulling something from around his neck. It was a pentagram on a long silver chain. “Please,” Finn urged.

Rey raised a brow, a bit skeptical, but she took the charm anyway, draping it around her neck. It did make her feel a little better. “Thanks, Finn,” she murmured.

“Take these too,” Poe added as he came up from the basement. He held two boxes out to Rey, which she took gingerly. They were heavy, and she opened one. 

“Really? Silver bullets?” Rey laughed.

“You never know,” Poe said. Rey stopped laughing at his grave tone.

“Thanks, guys. Really,” she said appreciatively. 

Finn and Poe waved goodbye from their porch as she pulled out of their drive, and Rey got a funny feeling that she wouldn’t be seeing them for a while. She shook the feeling off and drove home, wanting to get to bed early. She needed to be well rested for the journey tomorrow.

***

Rey ate a light dinner and lounged in front of her TV in shorts and an oversized sweatshirt with Dusty on her stomach. She idly stroked his soft fur, allowing her eyes to drift closed. She waded through the darkness in her mind, seeking the thread that connected her to Ben, almost on impulse. Dusty gave a mewp of protest and hopped off, scampering to her bedroom. 

Rey reached out with her mind, touching the thread. Warmth and electricity flowed through her, and she sighed, enjoying the security the feeling brought her. Another sensation followed on its heels, this one rougher, more insistent, as it shot straight to her core. 

“Rey? Now isn’t a good time,” she heard Ben say. His voice started soft, as if he was far away, but grew louder, clearer as he spoke.

“Why not?” Rey whispered, as her sensitive nerves began to throb. She opened her eyes and found herself looking up into Ben’s from where she was lying beneath him. His pupils were dilated to pools of black. Rey gasped at the hardness pressed against her stomach.

“Because I don’t know if you’ll like what I was just thinking about doing to you,” Ben whispered to her darkly.


	6. Chapter 5 - Litha

Rey’s body felt drunk, but she was blind stinking sober. She could feel the press of Ben’s fingers deep in the muscle tissue of her hip, but not on her skin. She whimpered in slight protest as Ben growled in frustration, lifting his head from where he’d had it buried in her neck.

“I can’t feel you,” Ben muttered angrily as he pushed himself off of her. “I mean, I can and I can’t.”

Rey sat up with her knees tucked close and nodded, “Me too. It’s like my body is drunk, but my mind is sober. One’s no fun without the other.”

A breath of laughter escaped Ben’s mouth. “That’s one way to put it.”

Rey draped her arms around her ankles and rested her chin on her knees, head tilted flirtatiously. “What were you thinking about?” she asked.

Ben’s eyes were closed, his head resting against the couch back. “Hmm?”

“Doing to me?” Rey added in a whisper. This was bold, especially for her.

Ben opened his eyes lazily and inclined his head towards her, grinning wickedly. “Oh Little Bird. I was going to do everything to you.”

“Tell me,” Rey commanded in a hushed voice as she stretched her legs out and slid her fingers to the waistband of her shorts, dipping them beneath the elastic band slowly.

Ben licked his lips, and began whispering filthy things, sweet things, dark things to her as he watched Rey work herself desperately beneath her shorts. Rey’s eyes drifted closed, and she moaned quietly, fingers nimbly stroking, as Ben described how he’d make her beg for him, plead for him to let her come, how he’d tie her to his bed and fuck her senseless, then let her do the same to him.

“But mostly, I just want to touch you. To feel you as you really are,” he rasped, his voice sounding rough and tired. He fell silent as she came with a soft moan, her eyes drifting open to see him working himself beneath his sweats as desperately as she had been. He finished with a hoarse cry, his chest heaving.

“Damn,” Rey heard Ben mutter under his breath.

“What?” she asked sleepily.

“Now I’m a mess,” he whined as he pulled his sweats off and wiped up the sticky fluid, tossing the pants aside when he was done and draping a blanket over his lap.

Rey laughed gently and switched on her TV. “Watch something with me?” she asked tentatively, placing a pillow over her stomach and patting it invitingly. Rey’s brows knitted themselves into a concerned frown when she saw a strange look pass over Ben’s face. It looked like longing.

“Sure,” Ben replied softly, making her smile. Rey wriggled happily as he scooted closer and laid his head on the pillow. He stroked the length of her thigh comfortingly as Rey navigated to Netflix and put on _The Defenders_. She couldn’t really feel the touch, but she appreciated the gesture all the same. She explained the plot and characters patiently to Ben when it became apparent he’d never seen any of the shows. Rey gently ran her fingers through his hair as she spoke, the soft strands mere whispers against her nerves. 

“Ben?” A worry was nagging at the back of Rey’s mind.

“Hmm?” Ben replied sleepily.

“Is this weird?” Rey asked quietly, her fingers ceasing their movement briefly.

“Is what weird?” Ben lifted his head slightly to look up at Rey, a slight frown creasing his brow.

“Whatever _this_ is. I mean, we hardly know each other, but I feel more connected to you than to anyone else I’ve ever actually met.” Rey knew it was a bold thing to say, but that didn’t stop it from being true, which surprised her, to say the least. Unwanted by her birth parents and being shuffled from home to home as a child translated to adult Rey not being the best at connecting with other people. Or trusting them.

Ben sighed and shrugged the shoulder that wasn’t resting on Rey’s midsection. “Honestly, I don’t have much of a frame of reference for what’s ‘normal.’”

Rey hummed thoughtfully and continued to stroke Ben’s hair, watching in drowsy fascination as the raven locks twisted and swirled around her fingers. She wondered what kind of life would lead him to say such a thing.

“But if it helps, I feel it too,” he whispered as he squeezed her thigh reassuringly.

***

Rey had her Jeep Wrangler packed and ready to head out early the next morning. She managed to coax Dusty into his carrier by bribing him with what amounted to half a bag of treats. She settled his litter box with a thin layer of gravel on the floor behind the passenger seat and the carrier on the seat opposite. Rey gave the house a once over before locking all the doors and windows, closing the curtains, and hopping into the car. She turned the key in the ignition, feeling only a little apprehensive about making the nearly 3000 mile journey with only Dusty for company, and headed out. She looked at Luke’s house in the rearview mirror and swore she saw the flutter of a curtain. She stuck her hand out the window and waved, just in case.

***

Luke walked away from his front window and to his phone. He knew Rey had seen him watching her leave. She’d waved after all. He’d see her soon though. Probably sooner than she thought. He dialed his sister’s number slowly and waited for her to answer.

“Rey’s on her way,” he said with solemnity when Leia finally answered.

Leia sighed. “It’ll be soon then. When, do you think?”

Luke rolled his eyes. “When does this kind of thing always happen?” he paused, recalling Shmi’s story. “Except for that one time?”

Leia groaned. “How predictable.”

Luke shrugged as if Leia could see. “Well, the veil is thinnest on that day. It makes sense. Predictable is predictable for a reason.”

“Whatever, Luke. Just be here before Samhain.”

“Will do, Princess. I won’t let you down.”

“Bring those hot shots with you. And Maz. Chewie misses her.”

“Yup.”

***

Rey drove until the vibrant orange and red lights of the sunset made looking in her rearview mirror blinding. She began to keep an eye on the highway signs, looking for a motel/hotel icon. She’d reached a pretty desolate stretch and hoped she’d find one before it got too dark. The sun had dipped below the horizon, painting the sky a dark blue-violet, before she finally spotted a sign for one. She pulled off the highway and followed the signs on the exit ramp, thankful she’d be able to sleep soon. Rey drove for a couple miles, eyeing the thick trees on either side of the road and keeping an eye out for deer, before the flickering sign appeared. 

Rey eyed the small dark building suspiciously as she pulled into the gravel parking lot, but she didn’t exactly have room to be picky. A bright light was on over the office door, night bugs flitting in and out. Rey found the buzzing unnerving, so she moved quickly. A cheerful bell chimed as she opened the door, and Rey felt a little better. Her mood improved when she saw a smiling friendly face appear at the counter from the back office. The woman was about her age, maybe a couple years older, with dark hair done in a fun flippy style. 

“Hiya! I’m Rose! Need a room?” she asked cheerfully.

“Yeah, if you’ve got one,” Rey replied amiably.

“Sure do! Not many people out here in the sticks,” Rose said as she flipped open a book and spun it around to Rey. “Sign here, and I’ll grab you a key.”

Rey scribbled her name quickly and exchanged some cash for the heavy old fashioned key that Rose was holding. A tag tied to the end said ‘#3.’

“Thanks. You guys allow cats? He’s really neat and well behaved. We’ll only be here for the night.”

“Not officially.” Rose leaned forward and whispered behind her hand conspiratorially, “But I won’t say anything.”

Rey smiled, mimicking the gesture, “Thanks again.”

Rose flipped her a wave as Rey walked back out the door to her car. She was juggling her various keys when a strange chuffing sound reached her ears. Rey looked up and around quickly, scanning the tree lines nearby and across the street. She didn’t see anything amiss at first. Room #3 was practically right next to the office, so Rey didn’t bother moving the car. She grabbed her overnight bag and Dusty’s carrier and headed towards the door. The key was in the lock when she heard the chuffing sound again. She looked quickly to her right and almost did a double take. The subtle flames caught Rey’s eye first. Despite glowing like normal fire, the flames cast no light. Rey then realized the flames were coming from some kind of creature. It looked like a horse, but it was unlike any horse Rey had ever seen. It was massive, its eyes and mouth glowing a dull orange. Its mane, tail, and hooves were wreathed in the strange unearthly flame. Rey then saw its rider. Wraithlike and seemingly cloaked in the very darkness that surrounded him, he held the reins of the nightmare steed with pale hands. He seemed to be watching her, and Rey set Dusty’s carrier down and ran for the passenger side door of the Jeep. She threw open the door and violently tore open the glove compartment, grabbing her Walther PPK. She spun to aim it at the malevolent rider, but he and his nightmare steed were gone. A wisp of smoke and a hint of sulphur were all that remained. Rey kept her pistol trained on the spot, her chest heaving. She could hear Dusty growling and hissing from his carrier. Suddenly, the door burst open beside her and Rose was at her side. She had a rifle trained on the same spot.

“What was it?” Rose hissed, her eyes darting between the spot and Rey.

“I’m not sure. A big fire horse and some pale rider,” Rey muttered. 

Rose lowered her rifle, her eyes narrowed. “Whatever you do, don’t go over there. It’s been a long time since he’s shown his ugly face. Something’s up.”

“You...you know? About all this...stuff?” Rey asked, dropping her arm. Dusty had quieted, which reassured Rey that all was more or less back to normal.

“Yeah. Abyssal assholes killed my family. I guard this way station now.”

“Way station?”

Rose nodded. “A safe haven for people travelling. People like you, who know about the Conflict, have been touched by it, find this place easier than other people. Either way, if you’re in danger, Dol Arrah guides you here.”

“So who was that?”

“Evil’s General.”

Rey shivered.

Her rest was troubled and fretful, and Rey headed out early the next morning, dropping the key in the box outside the office. She pulled out of the parking lot, gravel crunching, and drove the few miles back to the highway. She swore she saw a flame touched steed with a pale rider flying through the trees out of the corner of her eye, and she was thankful when she got back on the open highway.


	7. Chapter 6 - Lughnasadh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we earn our rating, friends

Ben watched Cerberus stalk silently through the trees, hunting for his prey. His great sword was heavy in his hand, and he sighed. He was tired. Ben gave it a few absentminded swings, adjusting his grip on the pommel. He hoped Rey was okay. He hadn’t seen or felt her in several days. He tried to tell himself it wasn’t a big deal. He perked up when he heard Cerberus stop moving, a low rumble issuing from his throat. 

Ben looked around. They were near the old cemetery by his home. Crumbled gravestones jutted up from the ground, and the old wrought iron fence was rusted and bent into strange lines. A gentle breeze was blowing, ruffling the green leaves of the trees gently, their whisper the only sound in the air. Ben frowned. Birds were silent. Insects were silent. Ben imagined that if he was quiet enough, calm enough, he would be able to hear the old bones speaking to him. But they were silent.

Then, he heard it. The snarls and chittering of several creatures somewhere ahead. Cerberus was low to the ground, ready to pounce. Ben readied his sword and drew in a deep breath, focusing his energy. A new sound entered the symphony. The whisper of a cloak over the ground, the crunch of a twig beneath a foot. Cerberus whined softly and scampered to Ben’s side. Ben’s eyes widened above his mask as a tall robed figure entered the area flanked by three Babau. The Babau were fearsome enough on their own, their leathery pitch black skin pulled taut over their gaunt bony frames. Blood and black ichor dripped from their wickedly sharp teeth and claws. The only thing that seemed to be restraining them at the moment was the presence of the robed figure. It was cloaked in black and gold, its hands clasped in front of it beneath voluminous sleeves. It raised its head and allowed its hood to fall back, revealing a bulbous bald head, the skin mottled and scarred. It smiled wickedly. Ben tightened his grip and narrowed his eyes. The demon lord took a deep inhale, and its wicked smile grew broader.

“Good afternoon, Benjamin,” it said, the voice deep and haunting. “My, how you’ve grown.”

Ben said nothing.

“Of course, when I say ‘you,’ I mean your power. It’s...” the demon paused and inhaled deeply again. “Exquisite.”

Cerberus snarled and snapped. Ben’s lip curled beneath his mask.

“I came to offer you one last chance, Benjamin. One last chance to join me at my side. One last chance to control the legions of darkness. Nothing in this realm is worthy of you. Of your power. They should worship you as a god. Should be killing themselves for the opportunity to serve you. I offer you the means to do that. To make the maggots of this world your servants.”

“Go back to Hell,” Ben hissed as an image of Rey, smiling down at him as he’d lain on her stomach, filled his mind.

The demon lord’s smile twisted into a scowl. “You fool. She is not worthy of you. I will destroy her. Then you will see that the power of the Abyss cannot be denied.”

Ben screamed in rage and lunged forward, intent of burying the blade of his greatsword into this monster’s chest. To his dismay, the demon vanished in a puff of smoke and sulphur, leaving the three Babau behind. They smiled horribly, blood and drool dripping from their mouths, as if they were savoring the meal to come. Ben roared and took a fighter’s stance, fully intending to cut them all down. Cerberus followed suit, widening the stance of his paws, arching his back, snarling and snapping his jaws, ready to defend his master.

Cerberus leapt first, easily tearing the throat out of one of the Babau in a spray of black ichor. As a creature Ben had conjured into existence, the toxic nature of the Babau’s blood had no effect on Cerberus. The wolfhound quickly went about tearing the body limb from limb, viciously rending flesh from bone. The remaining Babau had been caught off guard, and Ben used the opportunity to swing his greatsword in a broad horizontal arc, cutting across the neck of one of them and rending its head from its shoulders. The remaining Babau turned all its attention on Ben, and it lunged with claws outstretched.

Ben was easily able to fend off the Babau’s attacks, but it appeared to be enraged, and it took all of Ben’s cunning to keep up with it. It allowed him no time to imbue magic into his attacks or defense. After what felt likes hours, but what was in reality only a few minutes, Cerberus leapt at the creature in an effort to help.

“Cerberus! No!” Ben cried. The Babau was in a perfect position to swipe at a leaping creature. It swung upward with its hand, it’s claws sinking deep into black fur. Cerberus was thrown back and fell to the ground with a whimper. He tried to raise his head, but the effort was too much. He collapsed with a whine. Ben stared, dumbfounded and shell shocked at his fallen familiar, pain tearing through him. The Babau used the opportunity and lunged at Ben, pinning him to the ground and knocking his greatsword out of his hand. The maw of the Babau was right above him, dripping drool and foul smelling. One hand was wrapped around his throat, choking the air from his lungs. It raised its hand, claws shining with fresh blood. Ben realized that this was it. This was the end. He closed his eyes, ready to accept his fate, only sorry that he’d never actually met Rey. Sorry that he hadn’t been able to end this war like his family had hoped.

He heard feet running fast across the ground. His eyes snapped open, and he saw a pair of brown riding boots dashing quickly through the trees. Whoever it was gave a leap, and suddenly the weight of the Babau was off him. The creature roared in anger, but was quickly silenced with a sickening squelching sound. The sound of a blade sinking deep into flesh. Ben sat up, coughing and wheezing as he tried to draw air into his lungs. He scrabbled for his sword, grasping it in one hand as he rolled toward the fallen Babau and its killer. 

His eyes widened at what he saw. A lithe female figure, dressed in light blue skinny jeans, a Macintosh tartan flannel shirt tied at the waist over a plain white tank top, chestnut hair held loosely in a ponytail. Rey was crouched with both feet on the Babau’s chest, the curved blade of a glowing longsword stuck so deep into its throat it had the Babau anchored to the ground. Both of her hands were holding onto the pommel as she breathed heavily, her eyes narrowed as the creature gasped its last, familiar black ichor pouring from its mouth. She turned her head towards him, her hazel eyes bright and shining, and she smiled, warm and lovely.

“Hi, Ben,” she whispered.

“Rey,” he breathed. She was here, with him. It felt so different, she had to be. Just then, Cerberus whined softly, and both their heads snapped towards the fallen wolfhound. Ben pushed himself up and ran over, sheathing his sword and pulling his mask down. He knelt beside his friend, gauging his injuries. Rey knelt opposite, watching him with concerned eyes.

“He’ll be okay, I think. But I need to get him home,” Ben muttered, more to himself than to Rey.

She nodded anyway, getting up and pulling the longsword from the dead Babau, holding it deftly in her hand. “Ok. Lead the way. I’ll watch your back,” she said as she wiped the black ichor from the blade with the Babau’s loincloth.

Ben scooped Cerberus up into his arms carefully and started for home at a jog. He tried not to jostle and jerk too much, since even the smallest movement seemed to cause Cerberus pain. Rey followed behind, sword in hand, looking to and fro. Luckily, Ben’s home wasn’t too far from the cemetery. He allowed Rey to open the iron gate, and she dashed ahead of him to open the heavy front door. Ben ran to the kitchen where one of Cerberus’ beds was as well as some healing salve and clean towels.

He gestured toward the bed and asked, “Rey, could you set some towels down?”

She nodded and moved quickly, sheathing the sword and setting it on the table. Ben kept a pile of towels on an antique hutch, and Rey grabbed an armful and went about spreading them over Cerberus’ bed carefully. When she was done, Ben knelt with some difficulty and settled Cerberus down. His large head lolled to the side, and he looked up at his master gratefully.

“You did good today, Boy,” Ben said softly, tenderly rubbing Cerberus’ ear and kissing it. “I would have died if it wasn’t for you.”

Ben rose and went to a cupboard, grabbing a few glass jars. 

“Boil some water?” he asked Rey as he hunted for a few medicine droppers.

“Already on it,” Rey replied. She’d filled a kettle with water and had it boiling on the stove already. Ben handed her a heavy ceramic bowl, and she poured the steaming liquid in carefully. She walked carefully over to Cerberus and set the bowl on the floor. She grabbed one of the smaller towels and dipped it into the water, saturating the fabric. She dabbed at Cerberus’ wounds as gently as she could, but he still cried.

“I’m sorry, Pup,” she murmured as she cleaned his wounds. Cerberus’ head lifted wearily and his long pink tongue darted out and kissed her hand, as if to say that it was alright. She smiled.

Having divvied up various herbal concoctions into a series of droppers, Ben sat and took Cerberus’ head in his lap. He took the dog’s snout gently in one hand, pulling his lips back with his fingers. He took one dropper and wiggled it into Cerberus’ maw, squeezing the liquid into the back of his mouth. Cerberus’ tongue lapped and licked as he swallowed the medicine. Ben moved beside Rey, holding the other dropper over the cuts on Cerberus’ side. However, to his surprise, the cuts already showed signs of healing. They’d even closed somewhat. He looked at Rey, jaw slack. She was glowing ever so faintly, a warm golden aura around her.

Rey didn’t seem to notice, focused as she was. She touched her fingertips to the scratches, and they closed completely, leaving only the faintest of scars. Cerberus sighed gratefully, his eyes closing in sleep.

“I didn’t know I could do that,” Rey whispered in wonderment. She looked at her fingers in awe, turning her hands over back and forth.

Ben took one of her hands in his. Warmth and electricity shot through him, making his very blood and nerves sing. Her skin was soft and warm. Alive. He ran his thumb over her knuckles, feeling bone and tendon. He counted the faint few freckles there. Five. She had five golden freckles on her hand. Ben brought her hand to his face, rubbing it softly against his cheek. He closed his eyes and sighed. Her fingers curled and uncurled against him so that she was cupping his cheek in her hand, rubbing her own thumb over the crest of his cheek. Ben was surprised to feel a cooling wetness there.

“You’re here,” he whispered.

“I am,” she replied, her voice as soft and gentle as could be.

Ben rose, pulling her up off the floor with him, her hands in his. He pressed reverent kisses to them, murmuring against the skin, “You saved my life, Rey. You saved his.”

Rey smiled, squeezing his fingers in response. She bumped her nose against his cheek, getting him to finally look her in the eye. His gaze was bright. Hungry. Grateful. A swirling mix of heady emotions. He hoped she’d let him thank her properly.

“Kiss me, Ben,” she commanded in a hushed voice.

He obliged, gladly. Her pretty pink lips were soft against his, and he could tell she tasted sweet. He licked her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue, and let out a hum of pleasure when he discovered he was right. Her lips parted slightly beneath his, offering him entrance. He licked inside her, their tongues swirling and dancing together. He could get drunk off this, off the taste of her.

Rey broke the kiss, but she didn’t pull back, so Ben kept peppering her with kisses across her face until he reached her neck. He sucked and nipped at her skin, overcome with some primal urge to mark her. Her head fell back, exposing the line of her throat to him. He ran his tongue up the length of her neck, and she moaned softly. _God, she tastes so good,_ he thought.

“Take me to bed, Ben,” she said, almost pleading.

Ben growled his assent, surprised at his own animalistic response to her. He lifted her in his arms, and Rey gracefully looped her arms around his neck, resting her head against his shoulder so she could nuzzle against his neck. Rey whined when she realized there was fabric in the way. She pulled his hood back and began to play with the soft hair at the nape of his neck, pulling and tugging gently. It made Ben pant slightly, and he moved quickly through the house, taking the stairs two at a time.

He kicked open the door to his bedroom and moved quickly to the bed, setting Rey down carefully. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked up at him. Her eyes were dilated to a wam black ringed by thin bands of golden green. Her kiss roughened mouth was parted slightly, her lips now a deep pink. _She’s here; This is happening_ , Ben thought as he began to pull off his dark clothes, tossing them into a pile in the corner until he was standing beside the bed in nothing but his boxers. He smirked when he saw Rey’s eyes widen as she looked him up and down, her gaze pausing a hint longer when she reached his very visible erection. Her fingers were shaking as she tried to undo the button on her jeans, so Ben replaced them with his own, quickly shucking them off and tossing them beside her flannel shirt and boots so that she was only in her underwear and tank top. The skin exposed to him was flushed, and her chest was heaving. Ben placed his palm on her sternum and pushed her back against the mattress gently as he crawled into the bed and kneeled over her. 

“Ben,” Rey murmured tremulously as he crawled over her prone form protectively.

“Shh, Little Bird,” he whispered huskily, placing his fingers against her lips as his ghosted over her collarbone. “Let me take care of you. Please you. Touch you.”

She nodded, kissing his fingertips and taking one into her mouth, licking and sucking it gently. Ben moaned and nipped the wing of her collarbone in retaliation. _Later_.

He kissed his way languidly around her body, his hands unceasing in their exploration. He wanted to touch and kiss every inch of her. He revelled in the sounds she was making - breathy moans and sighs - as he lavished open mouthed kisses along her neck and shoulders. She had her fingers tangled in his hair, and it was all Ben ever wanted. He roughly palmed her thighs, squeezing and kneading the muscle, urging her to part for him. She did so, a bit shakily, as Ben kissed her lips again, his tongue delving deep. His fingers found her apex and stroked her over her underwear, and they both gasped. Rey at the feeling jolting through her, and Ben at how wet she was.

“You want this. You want _me_ ,” Ben said, unable to keep the awe from his voice.

Rey nodded emphatically. “So, so bad. Please. Touch me, Ben,” she urged.

Ben couldn’t deny her anything. Not when she was looking at him like she was. He pressed his fingers firmly against her core, making her arch and cry out sharply. He stroked and rubbed her over the thin cotton until she was writhing and squirming beneath him, her hips grinding against his hand wantonly, searching desperately for more. He pulled his hand away, making her mewl in protest.

She cried out in surprise when he pulled her underwear off her roughly, exposing her to him. Ben sat back and watched his fingers as they parted her wet folds, the skin there pink and shining with her slick.

“So beautiful. All mine,” he babbled as Rey began to moan and gasp in earnest, her hips jerking wildly. Ben used his free hand to press down on her abdomen, holding her still. His fingers found her clit, the bundle of nerves tight and firm as his fingers swirled and stroked. Rey was screaming now, begging him to fuck her. He slid two fingers into her, crooking them as he moved them inside her.

“Fuck! Ben!” Rey screamed as she threw her head against the pillow.

Ben smiled and leaned forward, licking along her slit with the flat of his tongue. _So sweet_.

Rey sobbed and fisted her hands in his hair, somewhat painfully, as Ben found her clit with his tongue and began to suck and lick at the nerves while his fingers continued thrusting in and out of her. Rey screamed obscenities and chanted his name like a prayer. Ben moved his hand off her abdomen to let her arch her back off the bed when he felt her climax. Her inner walls fluttered around his fingers, and fresh slick coated his mouth. He lapped and laved at her while she came back down to him. When she was limp and boneless beneath him, Ben carefully pulled off her tank top, unfastened her bra, and removed his boxers. He knelt over her and looked down. She was beautiful beneath him, her hands resting on either side of her face, her hair a wild chestnut halo, her skin flushed with pleasure. Ben reached out and stroked her breast with the backs of his fingers, watching in fascination as the dusky flesh of her nipple pebbled beneath his touch. She opened her eyes slowly and looked up at him, a smile curving her lips.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, his voice rough and deep. He continued to pinch and stroke her nipple, making her squirm and sigh softly.

“And you’re a god,” she replied throatily, her hand reaching out to caress his abdomen. 

Ben frowned. “Don’t call me that. Please,” he whispered. It reminded him of what the demon lord had said earlier.

Rey seemed to understand, and she nodded. Her fingers drifted lower, caressing his hipbone and down the front of his thigh. Her fingers coasted back up the inside, until she was stroking the length of his cock, her fingers featherlight against the heated sensitive skin. Ben threw his head back and moaned loudly when she wrapped her nimble fingers around his thick shaft and began to pump him, her other hand gripping his hip hard. Ben fell forward on his arms, and Rey wrapped her arms around him, her fingers digging into the skin and muscle of his back. She wrapped her legs around his waist and urged him closer. Ben ground his hips against her, using the length of his erect cock to pleasure her until she was moaning again. 

When she was whimpering and begging, Ben leaned in and whispered, “I’m going to fuck your sweet pussy with my cock, Rey. Are you going to be a good girl and come all over my cock?”

“Yes. Oh yes, Ben. I’ll be so good. Just please, fuck me. Fuck me hard,” she begged.

Ben angled his hips and made ready to thrust into her. “Say it again, Little Bird,” he commanded roughly.

“Fuck my pussy, Ben! Please! I need it! I need your cock!” Rey sobbed. 

Ben growled, a low primal sound, and slammed his hips against her, sheathing himself completely. Rey held on tight to him, sobbing with pleasure, as he rocked into her, his pace punishing. Her tightness, the feel of her cunt around him, was exquisite. He wasn’t going to last long. 

“Now be a good girl. Come for me,” he rasped. “Please Rey.” He dipped a hand between them, finding her clit and rubbing roughly.

Rey keened, the sound high pitched and desperate, as her walls fluttered around his stiff length. Ben felt the heat of her release surround him, and his thrusts grew shorter and faster until he felt his own orgasm ripped from him. He cried out sharply and moaned as he coated her walls with his spend, his chest heaving with the effort to keep himself up. His arms began to shake, and Rey pulled him down to her, holding his head to her shoulder. She kissed his damp forehead tenderly and stroked his hair away from his face.

“Wow,” she whispered against his hairline.

“Wow,” Ben concurred as he rolled them so she was laying on top of him. It dawned on him that he should probably pull away, odds are she didn’t want his dick inside her still, but the feeling of being buried in her, of coming down inside her, was too tempting, so he didn’t move. He caressed the length of her back and sighed, his eyes drifting closed.

Rey wriggled on top of him, like she was trying to get closer, and sighed happily, holding onto his shoulders. She was snoring slightly within minutes. After a few minutes, Ben felt himself slip out of her, and he carefully moved Rey off of him so he could throw the bed covers back. He had her settled and on her side before he slipped in beside her, pulling her close so her back was flush against his front. Ben wrapped his arm around her and rested his palm over her heart, and then he was out.


	8. Chapter 7 - Mabon

The shower’s hot spray felt heavenly over Rey’s aching body. Ben had made good on his promise to fuck her senseless. It had been early evening when they’d woken up after that first time. Actually, Ben had woken up first and decided to wake her up by kissing her neck and shoulder and teasing her still tender flesh with his fingers until she was begging for him. He’d obliged by flipping her onto her stomach and taking her somewhat roughly from behind while his fingers continued their attentions, which Rey had thoroughly enjoyed. People always treated her like she was some fragile thing. But not Ben.

It was well into the middle of the night now. Rey had woken with a start, confused and disoriented until she’d heard Ben’s deep breathing beside her. She mentally walked herself through the last few days, trying to get a handle on things. The rest of her journey had been uneventful after her stop at the way station, and she’d gotten to Luke’s cabin late. She’d woken up late the next morning, Dusty curled on the pillow next to her. She’d gone into town to get some supplies and food, the locals in the small town all very friendly and a bit nosey. Thus outfitted, Rey had gone back, set Dusty’s automatic feeder and put out several bowls of water, and went to explore the woods around the cabin. She spent five minutes staring in wonder at the lake right outside the cabin door, watching birds swoop and caw over the glassy surface, the surrounding trees dancing in the breeze. She’d wandered into the woods after that, sticking a bright thumbtack into the thick bark of trees to guide her back. A strange feeling had washed over her, one that seemed to guide her footsteps. A sense of deja vu overtook her when she’d tripped over a sheathed sword, recognizing the glowing curved blade from her dream-vision.

Strange sounds and sybillant hissing had drawn her further into the woods. She’d drawn her weapon and crept along, trying to find the source of the sounds. Eventually, she’d come upon an ancient cemetery and saw something that made cold dread run through her. A hideous monster had a man in black pinned down, clawed hand raised to strike the killing blow. A black dog had lain fallen nearby. Rey knew it was Ben and Cerberus. She could feel it. She’d lunged, knocking the creature off Ben and stabbing it through the throat with her sword.

Now, she was here, in Ben’s shower while he slept in the bed just beyond the door. After they’d had sex. Twice. Touching him, being with him, had felt better than she had ever imagined. She felt safe. Wanted. Like she belonged. Rey sighed contentedly as she ran her fingers through her soaked hair, teasing out knots and snarls.

Her sigh turned into an audible moan when she felt Ben’s arms wrap around her, one hand squeezing her breast and the other drifting lower to stroke her hip bone hesitantly. Her head fell back against Ben’s shoulder.

“You weren’t in bed. Are you alright? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Ben whispered against her temple.

He cared. He was concerned about her. Rey could almost cry. She spun around in his arms and kissed him, her fingers tangling in his dampening hair. He responded eagerly, his large hands gripping her waist and pulling her closer. He was already hard, his thick erection pressing insistently against her. She bit his lower lip gently, teasing it with her tongue, which made Ben growl deep in his throat. Rey pulled away and watched in satisfaction as his eyes widened when she sank slowly to her knees in front of him.

“Rey, you don’t have to,” he said as his hands reached for her to pull her back up.

She batted them away. “I know, silly. I want to,” she murmured. Nuzzling against his hip, she watched his cock twitch and throb in front of her. She reached out with trembling fingers and stroked him softly. She looked up to see Ben close his eyes, his lips parted. She withdrew her fingers and he whined, looking back down at her pleadingly.

“Eyes on me, Ben,” she commanded.

His eyes flickered dangerously, but he nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. She took him in hand again, firmer this time as she pumped him, and she grinned when his panting became audible. His hand cradled the back of her head and carefully urged her closer.

“Rey please,” he growled.

“Please what?”

“Please let me fill that pretty mouth with my cock,” Ben rasped, his grip tightening in her hair.

Rey responded by swirling her tongue around the head, the salty taste of his pre-cum coating her mouth. She smiled when he moaned. He was begging her now, her name and the word ‘please’ the only things he seemed to be able to say.

She sucked him carefully into her mouth, his girth and length nearly making her choke. She relaxed and allowed herself to adjust before she began to lick and suck. He cried out sharply, his other hand flying to her head to hold her still. She released her hold on him slightly so he could thrust his hips a little, fucking her mouth while she kept a firm grip on his hips. She squeezed hard when the head of his cock hit the back of her throat, nearly making her gag.

“Fuck! Rey, please get up,” he beseeched her.

Rey held him firm, letting go only after she’d given him one last lingering lick along his length. She released him with a lewd popping sound, rising gingerly to her feet. Ben crushed her into his arms, his breath hot against her scalp. It turned her on to know she could get him to beg like that, and she held him close, grinding against his thigh. However, before she could get used to being on her feet again, Ben lifted her up and pushed her against the shower wall. Her natural instinct was to wrap her legs around his waist, and Ben wasted no time in thrusting up against her core, once again using the length of his cock to pleasure her. Rey held on to his shoulders desperately, briefly marvelling at how easily he seemed to be holding her up like this. He had her moaning quickly, her thrusts matching his. Rey pushed on his shoulders, lifting herself up and bringing herself back down on his cock just as quickly. They both cried out, staring into each others’ eyes. Rey knew the hunger in Ben’s eyes matched hers. He fucked her slowly this time, and Rey savored each and every sensation he gave her as the coil of pleasure began to tighten in her belly. Her climax hit her quietly, washing over her like a warm blanket, and she went limp and boneless in Ben’s arms. She held his head to her shoulder as he came with a shudder, her name a whisper on his lips. They held each other like that for a long while, the heat and steam of the shower enveloping them in a warm safe cocoon. 

***

“Seriously?! He’s your UNCLE?!” Rey squawked as she ate the bacon and eggs Ben had made her for breakfast. She was dressed in an old t-shirt of his and a pair of his boxers, the band rolled a few times to keep them on her hips. 

Ben chuckled as fresh butter sputtered in the skillet, “Yup.”

Rey grumbled several nonsense and cuss words under her breath while Ben cooked himself some eggs and fed Cerberus. The wolfhound seemed much better and happily curled up under the table after snarfing down his food. Ben sat down opposite her at the table and began to eat his own breakfast while Rey thought, her chin resting on her fist. 

“Why wouldn’t he say anything?” she wondered aloud.

Ben shrugged. “Just because he’s fought the forces of evil his entire life doesn’t mean he doesn’t enjoy a good meet-cute.”

Rey snorted. “I guess. Makes me wonder if there’s other things he hasn’t told me.”

Rey had finished her breakfast before she noticed Ben had stopped and was staring at her strangely, seriously.

“What?” she asked as she got up to put her plate in the sink.

“Hasn’t anyone told you?” Ben asked cautiously.

“Oh my God, told me what?” Rey asked again, annoyed. Everyone, it seemed, apparently knew something she didn’t, and it was starting to piss her off.

Ben heaved a sad sigh, grabbed his plate, and headed out of the kitchen. “Follow me. I have something you should see.”

Rey padded after him, curious. Ben walked into the living room, switching on a few lamps before he sat down. He gestured to a large book sitting on the coffee table with his fork. “Take a look at that. Should help answer some things.”

As Rey read and Ben ate, her mouth fell open further and further until she felt like a fish gasping in the open air after it’s been yanked unceremoniously from the water.

“So, do I have some part to play in this final battle? In this Prophecy?” Rey asked quietly. She thought of what Maz had said, that her power was growing.

Ben was quiet for a long moment. He set his plate carefully on the table, neatly balancing his fork on the edge. He looked at her then, his warm brown eyes filled with some heavy burden. “My uncle and mother think you’re to play THE part. With me.”

Rey shook her head. This...this was almost too much. She had just found him, and had just started to understand there was power inside her, and now Ben was telling her she was destined to stand at his side and fight the dark. Ben took her hands in his, running his thumbs reassuringly over her knuckles. Rey sighed and hung her head.

“I thought I could do it on my own. Close the veil, defeat the evil, however you want to think about it,” Ben was saying in a gentle voice. “But after yesterday, when I looked the Devil himself in the eye, I’m not so sure. I’m not strong enough on my own. I need your help, Rey.”

Rey shook her head some more. “It can’t be true. I’m nobody, I’m nothing,” she whimpered.

Ben gripped her hands tightly, urging her to look up at him. He was blurry behind her tears, and she sniffled. “You’re not nothing,” he insisted with a firm shake of his head. “Not to me.”

Rey lunged at him, catching him off guard as she threw her arms around his neck. She clung to him like a drowning person might cling to a buoy. Ben gently patted her back and made calming shushing noises.

“I’m scared, Ben,” Rey whispered.

“I know, I’m scared too.”

“I mean, I know how to defend myself, but I don’t know how to fight like what this is talking about.”

Ben held her tighter. “I can teach you. My guess is we have a little time before…” he trailed off as he ran his fingers up and down her back beneath his shirt.

“Why does it have to be us?” Rey breathed, writhing against him slightly. She might have had sex with him more times in the last several hours than she’d had in the past several years with anybody else, but she couldn’t get enough. Maybe it was the threat of impending doom. Maybe it was because he knew how to use his fingers and dick. Who could say?

“I don’t know, but at least we’ll fight together. At least we are together,” Ben replied, pressing a hot open mouthed kiss to her neck. Rey shuddered in his lap and slid her hands underneath his t-shirt, her nimble fingers finding and tracing old scars down his body until she brushed the waistband of his sweats. She smirked when she felt the hot tip of his dick pushing against the elastic. Rey pulled his sweats down enough for his erection to spring free, stroking the hot flesh lightly with her fingertips.

“You’re insatiable,” she teased, nipping his ear lobe.

“So are you,” Ben growled as he flipped her onto her back and took her mouth in a searing kiss. He tugged his boxers off her while she pushed his pants down further. Their kiss was all teeth and tongue, burning and insistent. 

Rey pulled Ben’s hair, none too gently, pulling his mouth from hers. “I need you. Now,” she growled.

Ben responded with an animalistic grunt, pushing her thighs wide and thrusting fully inside her with one rough snap of his hips. He held still as Rey panted and felt her cunt work to adjust to his girth.

Ben smoothed her hair back and whispered, “You feel so good, Rey. You take me so well.”

Rey smiled at the praise and pulled him down to her, kissing him deeply. She thrust her hips upward, urging Ben to move. He set a punishing pace, almost desperate, and Rey was gasping with the effort to keep up.

When the sensations become too much, too overwhelming, her skin too hot, she began to whimper, shaking her head, “Ben. Please. Too much.”

Ben stopped immediately. He was panting, and his skin was flushed. He pushed himself off her, sat beside her, and pulled her into his lap. Rey eagerly straddled him, easing herself down onto his hard length again, and began to rock her hips against him, fucking him slowly. His fingers found her clit easily at this angle, and he stroked and rubbed gently. She bit down on her lower lip as she held his fiery gaze. 

_Tyger, Tyger burning bright/ In the forests of the night/ What immortal hand or eye/ Could frame thy fearful symmetry?_

Rey didn’t realize she’d said that out loud until Ben breathed, “‘In what distant deeps or skies/ Burnt the fire of thine eyes/ On what wings dare he aspire/ What the hand, dare seize the fire?’” With that, Ben increased the pressure of his fingers somewhat which made Rey jerk and rock against him harder. His cock began to brush her g-spot, and Rey arched her back, chasing the wonderful sensation greedily.

“Mmm, that’s it, Little Bird. Take your pleasure,” Ben purred as he watched her come completely undone on top of him, her mouth open in a silent cry. As her walls clenched around his thick length, Ben let out a groan, and Rey smiled as she felt him spill into her, the heat washing over her pleasantly. She sighed and fell against him, feeling safe and warm in his arms.

***

“Look, Luke gave me the cabin, and I intend to use it. And, no offense, but this house is gloomy as fuck,” Rey insisted with her hand on her hip.

Ben glared down at her, but its ferociousness was cut by the quirk in the corner of his mouth. “Fine. But me and Cerberus are coming with you. It’s dangerous for you to be alone there.”

Rey glared up at Ben, trying to match his expression. “Fine. But if Cerberus eats Dusty, I’ll run you through with your ancestor’s glowing magic sword.”

Ben fought back a grin. “Fine.”

Rey and Ben spent a few minutes packing up his old pickup, Cerberus excitedly jumping around, before driving off. Ben followed an old two track that wound through ancient trees, their leaves just beginning to change from verdant green to the golds and reds of fall, and ended right near the cabin after about twenty minutes. Rey could hear Dusty meowing insistently from the yard. She rushed inside the cabin calling for the cat. He appeared briefly, giving Rey’s ankle a sniff before turning right around and slinking off, his fluffy tail held at a haughty angle. When Cerberus bounded inside, Dusty disappeared completely. Rey found him later jumping from rafter to rafter, watching them from his high perch.

After Ben had brought his things inside, he turned to Rey and asked, “Eat before or after?”

“Before or after what?” Rey replied suspiciously.

Ben grinned, “Training.”

With Ben’s help, Rey was able to safely explore and harness her power. He taught her control and focus, and Rey relished the near constant looks of pride and amazement on his face as she mastered technique after technique. They were both shocked to discover she had a natural aptitude for sword fighting, and Ben was able to transition her to using Shmi’s sword and magic together quite quickly.

It was a couple of days before Halloween, or Samhain as Ben called it, while Rey was cleaning Ben’s cuts with rubbing alcohol that he cleared his throat nervously. 

“Hey, Rey?” Ben asked haltingly.

“Yeah?” Rey replied with a chuckle.

“My mom, you know she lives in town. With my dad.”

Rey pretended to look shocked. “What?! No way!”

Ben frowned. “Shut up. Listen, Samhain is kind of a big deal for my family, and she was wondering if we could go over there. For dinner.”

Rey kissed the skin just under Ben’s now clean cut, trying to suppress a laugh. “Sure. No big battle, eh?” Ben had told her his mother had thought there’d be some kind of battle on Samhain. Apparently none would be forthcoming.

Ben shrugged, blushing a bit. “Guess not.”

Rey stood and hugged the still sitting Ben, holding his head to her shoulder. “That sounds lovely, Ben.”

Ben heaved a heavy sigh and wrapped his arms around her middle. “Thanks, Little Bird.”

Rey smiled as she led him to bed, snuggling close. They both fell asleep quickly, exhausted from the day’s training.

When Rey’s eyes fluttered open, it was pitch black all around her. Something felt wrong. She groped blindly for Ben, sighing in relief when she felt his warm form beside her in bed. She swung her feet over the side of the bed, intending to go get a glass of water. She flicked on the small bedside lamp so she could see, and she screamed. Before her a red headed man in a cloak of swirling darkness materialized, his ice blue eyes cruel and unfeeling. The pale rider. Evil’s General. 

Ben flailed beside her in bed as he tried to get up, crying out, “‘S matter? Rey?!” 

Rey felt herself paralyzed by some kind of cold as he cold man held his hand out, dark mist swirling around his fingers. Familiar feelings of loss and abandonment flooded her, ones she hadn’t felt since she’d found Ben. An image filled her mind unbidden, of a pair of strung out junkies leaving a small toddler outside of a firehouse. Tears poured down Rey’s cheeks, and she wailed. 

“Rey! Fight it!” Ben was screaming, but he sounded so far away. She could hear Cerberus crying, but he too sounded far away. 

“Seize them,” the man hissed.

Horrendous snarling filled the air, and Rey heard Ben crying her name, begging her to come back to him, before everything went black.


	9. Chapter 8 - Samhain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *roll credits!  
> thank you for joining me on this wild journey! this fic was one definitely out of my comfort zone, so i hope it didn't disappoint! and thank you all so so much for your kudos and comments! i am hugging all of you

The first thing Rey was aware of when she woke up was that she was no longer in her comfortable pajamas. She was in some sort of long black silk slip dress...thing. The straps were little more than string, the neckline plunging, the bodice fitted, and the skirt voluminous. It was definitely not something she would dress herself in. Rey patted herself down, searching for injuries, but she felt neither injuries nor restraints. She pushed herself to her feet, the black marble cold and glittering beneath them. She held her arms across her chest and tried to take in her surroundings, but they were obscured by the prevailing darkness. A faint red glow illuminated some of the area, but not quite enough to really see. As she took a few tentative steps forward, the faint glow intensified, causing Rey to spin around wildly, the skirt of her dress billowing around her. At one end of the room stood a massive dais, and on it a massive throne made of sharp hunks of black marble sat empty. Beside it was a smaller throne, and what was on it made Rey nearly trip over her own feet in her haste to reach it.

“Ben!” Rey cried as she rushed forward, falling to her knees. His head lolled forward, his raven hair hung limply in front of his face. His hands and feet were bound to the arms and legs of his seat. He was dressed all in black as well, the get up reminiscent of the outfit he wore when Rey had seen him in the forest. Rey tried to free him from his restraints, but her fingers could find no purchase. There was some kind of energy intertwined within them that made freeing him this way impossible. Rey continued to tug fruitlessly while she tried to wake him.

“Rey?” Ben whispered weakly.

“Ben! Thank God,” Rey gasped. She kissed his knuckles in relief and rested her forehead against his cold fingers. “Do you know where we are?”

“You’re my guests,” a cold voice interjected. It reverberated around the barren room, causing Rey to wriggle closer to Ben in terror. 

Ben flinched and Rey looked up to see he’d finally lifted his head. Anger painted his expression, and a fresh cut graced one side of his face. Rey reached out and touched it gingerly. Ben finally looked at her, pain and terror taking over.

“Rey, you have to get out of here,” he urged. “Whatever chance he gives you you have to take it.”

“What are you talking about? Who?” she asked in a panic. Was he telling her to leave him behind? The idiot.

“Me,” came the cold voice. “And I’ll be offering no such chance.”

Rey inhaled sharply and stood protectively in front of Ben as a tall thin figure materialized at the opposite end of the large room. Bald with a bulbous head and mottled skin, he was cloaked in gold, and he seemed to glide right over the floor towards them. The now familiar pale rider appeared at his side, his gaze haughty and superior, a sneer twisting his lips. The man in gold held one arm out to his side and gave a mock bow.

“I am Snoke, Lord of Darkness. Welcome to my domain.”

His voice sent chills through Rey’s body, but she tried her best to remain outwardly unafraid. “Who’s the other one?” she demanded.

“Ahh. My General, Hux,” Snoke stated, gesturing to the man beside him. Hux hissed in acknowledgment. “He’s not really one for conversation,” Snoke added.

“Obviously,” Rey replied, glaring at the both of them.

“So,” Snoke continued conversationally, his voice dangerously soft, “You’re the one meant to destroy me.”

“Apparently,” Rey spat.

“Wrong!” Snoke bellowed as he threw his hand out. Rey doubled over as she felt a sharp pain radiating out from her stomach. It felt like she’d been punched, and she fell forward, gasping. Panic ripped through her, but not for herself or Ben.

“Rey!” Ben screamed as he fought against his restraints. “Let me go!”

Hux was behind him in an instant holding a wicked looking blade to his throat. “Shut up, Guardian filth,” he snarled.

Snoke was laughing darkly, clearly enjoying himself. “I can’t believe they think you two are the ones destined to stop me. You’re both weak, easily manipulated. Pathetic.”

Rey felt herself growing angrier and angrier as Snoke droned on and on about their supposed inferiority. Hux had left Ben and gone to another part of the throne room where he worked to conjure a sort of viewing mirror. An image of a great battle appeared, but Rey couldn’t think about that now. Rather than show her hand, Rey stayed on her knees and crawled to Ben, resting her head in his lap. It looked for all the world like she was looking for comfort in their time of defeat, but in reality, she needed to focus, like Ben had taught her. She hid her hands in the skirt of her dress, smirking at their captors’ mistake as she twisted her fingers. She closed her eyes and envisioned Ben’s binds, envisioned them loosening, breaking as she manipulated the energy within them. 

“Even if this works, we have no weapons,” she heard Ben murmur.

Rey thought of the snake man she’d fought and the prick from the parking lot. “I don’t need a weapon. And you can take his. Now shush.” She jerked her head in Hux’s direction, where the hilt of a sword could be seen at his waist. With a final flick of her fingers, she felt the energy binding Ben dissipate. He made no move, wanting to wait for the opportune moment.

Snoke had been prattling on the entire time about battles and glory and power, but he finally said something that made Rey’s head snap around. “I had considered forcing Benjamin to kill you, the act that would finally break him and bring him to my side, but then you arrived, and I sensed a greater potential within you. A chance to mold my heir from the beginning. So now it is imperative that you be kept alive.”

Rey stood abruptly, her fists clenched. “I’m sorry, would you care to run that by me again?” she hissed.

Snoke turned and smiled, a malformed hideous thing. “I see you’ve broken Benjamin’s restraints. It is no concern. Do rise, dear boy. A warrior such as you should die on your feet.”

“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!” Rey screamed, ignoring Snoke’s taunt to Ben. Hux was approaching them, but Rey hardly noticed. Did Snoke think he was going to keep her here as a broodmare or something? She’d die before she’d let that happen. 

Snoke reached one bony hand out, and some invisible force pulled Rey to him. He wrapped his fingers around her throat, very nearly cutting off her air. Rey struggled and fought, but Snoke was stronger than he looked. He brought his horrible purple mouth to her ear and hissed so only she could hear, “His child will be my child.” _Wait, what? Oh HELL-TO-THE-FUCKING-NO!_

Energy ripped down Rey’s arm and coalesced in her hand. She brought her arm and the ball of radiant light up and slammed it into the side of Snoke’s head just as Hux screamed out, “My Lord! No!”

Snoke roared in pain and released Rey, and she landed nimbly on her toes. Ben used the distraction to charge Hux, slamming into him bodily and knocking him prone. Ben was able to wrestle Hux’s sword from him before he got to his feet. Ben held the blade out, ready to fight. Hux remained in a crouched position, black mist forming and swirling around his fingers until it formed into a kind of shadow blade.

“Ben! Watch out!” Rey cried. She turned her attention back to Snoke as he worked to get back on his feet. The side of his head smoked and burned horribly. Radiant, good, Rey thought. She cleared her mind and felt more warm radiant energy flow down her arms and into her hands. She brought them up into a kind of defensive stance as Snoke lunged toward her. She thrust her hands out, much as she had in the parking lot so long ago, and a blast of white glowing radiance hit Snoke square in the chest. The force blew him back towards the center of the room, and Rey suddenly found herself sad that she didn’t have Shmi’s sword. _It would be so fitting_ , she mused as she dashed forward to the prone demon lord. She held her hand out as if grasping a sword, wondering if she could make one appear like Hux had. Instead, she felt her fingers wrap around a very real hilt, a familiar curved glowing blade materializing in her hand. Finn’s pentagram dangled from the hilt, the silver gleaming. Not wanting to pause to consider the mechanics, Rey leapt up and thrust the blade downwards. Snoke screamed as the blade plunged deep. The blade glowed brighter, and Snoke’s prone form erupted in a burst of radiant flame. When the bright glow faded, nothing remained.

***

Ben watched with a snarl on his face as Hux remained crouched on the ground, a shadow blade forming in his hand. He wiped a trickle of black ichor from the corner of his mouth as he glared up at Ben.

“You’ll pay for that, filth,” he growled.

Ben held his stolen sword at the ready as Hux rose and made ready to strike. Hux moved first, and Ben was able to parry his attack easily. Ben knew he was good with a blade, but so was Hux. They danced and twirled around each other, each trying to find an opening, each preventing the other from imbuing magic into their attacks.

A bright flash of white light momentarily caught Ben off guard, and Hux was able to knock the sword from his hand. Ben leapt back, assuming a stance that would make it easy to dodge when Hux next attacked. Ben wished Cerberus was with him. The sense of separation from his familiar was almost painful. Ben’s eyes flicked behind Hux to Rey. She was kneeling on the marble floor, her hands twisting and gesturing, her eyes closed, her lips moving in some prayer or plea or command. Shmi’s sword glowed in front of her. Snoke was gone. Ben’s eyes shot back to Hux, whose own face was distorted by pure loathing. 

Hux’s arm was raised, ready to attack, when a low rumble issued from close behind him. He whirled around, surprised to see a massive black wolfhound, it lips curled in a snarl. Cerberus leapt, his teeth sinking deep into Hux’s throat. Hux’s ice blue eyes widened in shock, the sound of liquid burbling in his mouth the only sound. Cerberus released him with a violent twist, landing deftly on his four paws. Hux fell to his knees, holding his hands to his throat, when the glowing blue tip of a blade appeared in his chest. Ben looked up and saw Rey staring down at Hux, Shmi’s sword in her hands. She shoved Hux off the blade with her foot, and he fell at Ben’s feet, dead. Ben could see Rey slipping away, her gaze growing unfocused, her free hand resting over her stomach, and he rushed forward, grabbing her arm. 

“Rey!” he called, giving her a shake.

She looked up at him in a daze, the sword held limply in her hand. Ben wrapped his fingers around her hand, urging her to hold the sword tighter. 

“Are you still with me, Rey? We’re not out of this yet!”

Rey gave her head a shake, tightened her grip and nodded.

“Good,” Ben stated simply as he searched Hux’s body for his knife. Holding the knife in one hand an Hux’s sword in the other, he looked at Rey and then at Cerberus. “Ready?” he asked.

Rey held Shmi’s sword parallel to the floor and imbued it with radiant energy with her other hand so the blade glowed hot white. She looked up at Ben and nodded once.

They stood side by side and strode forward, ready to fight the minions of the dark together. 

***

Luke wiped the sweat from his brow and heaved a sigh. He couldn’t tell if the battle was going well or not. Originally, there had been some sort of order to the fight. Things made sense, the enemy’s moves were predictable. Now, though, it was like they had lost all control, were simply fighting for their lives rather than command of the battlefield. So, in that sense, Luke supposed his side was winning. The enemy seemed desperate, afraid. “On the ropes,” as Han would put it. Luke couldn’t put his finger on why though.

“Luke, do you know what’s going on?” he heard young Poe Dameron call from somewhere nearby. The sound of gunfire rang out before Luke could answer. Poe was partial to firearms. His partner, Finn, was nearby and wielding a whip in one hand and a dagger in the other.

“No idea!” Luke replied as he thrust his sword into the chest of a snarling Imp, yanking it free quickly.

A mighty crack resounded across the open plain, bringing all motion to a halt and making all heads turn towards the sound. A bright flash followed at the very edge of the battlefield, and Luke shielded his eyes. When the bright light dimmed, Luke could see three forms, dressed in black, making their way towards the fray. One looked hunched as it ran ahead, like an animal, and the other two appeared to glow with a gentle golden light, stolling calmly side by side. Luke squinted. They appeared to be a man and a woman, the man wielding a dark sword and a wickedly elegant knife, and the woman held what appeared to be a curved longsword that glowed white. _It can’t be..._

As the pair reached the edge of combat, Abyssal foes began to evaporate into clouds of ash. Seeing some of their comrades disappear in such a manner, some began to run, only to be smote by rays of radiant energy that came from the woman’s fingers. After clearing the small area around them, the woman knelt, her black dress billowing around her in the wind, and thrust her shining sword into the ground. She gripped the pommel with both her hands and bowed her head as if in prayer. A humming sound filled the air, and the Abyssal creatures all began to shriek and moan with unearthly wails. Some clutched at their heads, tearing into their own flesh as if to rid their minds of some invisible pain. Luke lowered his sword and watched, fascinated. Abyssal generals and commanders tried to rush the trio, but the man and dog fought them back, protecting the woman and allowing her to continue her ritual. Luke rushed forward, urging Poe and Finn to follow him.

“Find Leia!” he bellowed to Poe.

Poe nodded and broke off, searching frantically while Finn went off in the other direction. 

As he got closer, Luke recognized the face of his nephew and his familiar, faces twisted and snarling with the ferocity of battle. The wind was causing the woman’s hair to swirl and twist, obscuring the delicate lines of her face, but there was no mistaking those chestnut locks or the air of determination she exuded. Luke broke into a broad grin, his step and zeal imbued with a new vigor, with hope.

***

Rey was starting to feel the strain of this ritual deep in the marrow of her bones. Celestial radiance coursed through her, giving her the power to close the veil. She could hear Ben and Cerberus fighting, defending her, keeping the monsters away so she could work. The rending of Abyssal flesh rang loud in her ears, despite her efforts to shut it out. She heard a few new voices that had come to help, but she couldn’t spare them even a glance. Shouts, cries, curses all swirled in a loud cacophony around her. She was losing her grip. It was too much. The Abyss was fighting back. Her shoulders were slumping, her grip on the sword weakening. She was tired. So tired.

“Ben,” she called weakly. She tried to raise her head. It felt so heavy.

Ben spun around, a wild fire in his eyes, his lips parted in a snarl. His expression softened when he saw her, and he rushed forward. His weapons fell from his hands and hit the ground with a clatter as he dropped to his knees. He clasped his hands over hers and pressed a kiss into her hair. Rey rested her forehead to his and sighed.

“Help me close it. Help me end it,” she whispered.

Ben nodded, and Rey felt their energies swirl together and mix with the holy power between their hands. They began to chant together, ancient words and prayers spilling from their lips in a language neither of them could comprehend. Warmth spread through Rey, and she knew Ben felt it too. It felt as if some Celestial being was folding them in its embrace, giving them the strength to continue. Rey cracked open her eyes and saw a kind smiling face beside hers. The woman glowed with holy light, her eyes lit with gentle radiance. Her arms were wrapped around them both, shielding them with her vast cloak. Rey smiled as she continued to chant.

“Close your eyes, Rey,” Dol Arrah whispered in her mind.

Rey obeyed, a bright light following. Terrible shrieks and cries ripped the air around them, then were silent. The only sound Rey could hear for a moment was the gentle swish of the wind through the trees. Peace. A dull roar followed, one that quickly picked up in volume. A roar of triumph. Rey opened her eyes. Dol Arrah was gone. The sword no longer glowed. All that remained of their enemy were scattered ashes. Rey felt the Celestial energy leaving her body, and she looked up at Ben. His chest was heaving, his eyes were bright.

“We did it,” he rasped, slumping forward.

“We did,” Rey breathed before she collapsed on her side, Ben falling beside her.

***

Rey’s eyes fluttered open to darkness. She was in a soft bed, wrapped in a pair of strong arms. Ben’s warm breath ruffled the hair at the top of her head. Something heavy and hot was at her feet taking up the entire foot of the bed. Rey wiggled her toes and felt thick soft fur. Cerberus. Rey squinted and was able to just make out a small dust colored shape curled on top of the wolfhound watching her with glowing eyes. Dusty. She looked around and recognized the bedroom in Luke’s cabin. Someone, or more likely someones, had brought them back here. She fingered her clothes experimentally and grimaced when she discovered she was still in the silk dress. It had to have come from Snoke, and she wanted it off. She carefully squirmed out of bed, making sure not to wake Ben. He was still dressed in whatever Snoke had put him in too, but they could deal with that later. 

Rey silently rifled through the dresser drawers and pulled out a sleep shirt and a pair of underwear. She padded silently to the bathroom and set the clothes on the counter, intending to shower before going back to bed. Before then, however, she had to deal with this ridiculous dress. She walked into the living room, kneeling at the fireplace and kindling a small fire. She stood and slipped the straps from her shoulders, the black silk pooling at her feet. She crumpled the garment up and threw it into the fire. The fire blazed and ripped through the delicate fabric quickly, leaving only ashes. Rey pressed her hand to her stomach, and a warm hum ran up her fingers. Naked and feeling vulnerable, Rey turned and reached for a blanket from the couch only for a large hand to wrap around her wrist. She looked up and saw Ben’s eyes glowing with firelight, hungry and full of want. He licked his lips and pulled her to him, kissing her fiercely.

Ben and Rey both pulled desperately at his clothes until he was stripped bare as Rey was. They threw them piece by piece into the fire, watching each one burn. When nothing remained, Ben pulled Rey down to the floor so she was sitting astride his lap, her wet core easily taking his hard length. Rey held his face between her hands while she kissed him slowly, gently, pouring every ounce of feeling she had into it while she rocked her hips carefully. Ben broke the kiss and buried his face into Rey’s neck, gasping. Rey held him gingerly, running her fingers through his soft hair as she picked up her pace. She chased their pleasure desperately, bringing them to climax together. 

Still stroking his hair, she whispered against the top of his head, “Ben, I have to tell you something.”

“What’s that, Little Bird?” Ben replied, pressing soft kisses to her shoulder and neck.

Rey pulled one of his hands from her back around to her stomach, and she nudged his head up so she could rest her forehead to his. She closed her eyes, murmuring, “Can you feel it?”

She could feel Ben’s confusion. It made her smile. “Feel what?” he asked.

Rey focused, connecting her mind to the new one growing inside her womb. She felt a flutter of energy leap from low in her abdomen into Ben’s fingers. Ben yelped and she giggled.

“I hope you’re ready,” she laughed.

Ben held her tightly but carefully in one arm while he kept the other pressed to her abdomen, spreading his fingers wide. “Always,” he said softly.


End file.
